Benni McCarthy has offered a candid insight into his time at Manchester United, insisting he arrived at Old Trafford determined to contribute rather than simply observe.
The former South Africa striker spent two years on Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff, working with some of the game’s biggest names, and says he never felt intimidated by the scale of the task.
McCarthy, a UEFA Champions League winner with Porto during his playing days, joined United after managerial spells with Cape Town City and AmaZulu. Reflecting on the move, he admitted the step up was significant but rejected the idea that he was there merely to learn.
During his tenure, McCarthy worked closely with established stars including Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Cristiano Ronaldo. Yet he insists reputation never overshadowed responsibility.
United lifted the Carabao Cup in his first season and the FA Cup the following year before McCarthy departed at the end of his contract. Now in charge of Kenya’s national team, he maintains that even global icons could benefit from his experience.
“I went to Man. United knowing that perhaps it was outside my depth, because I had coached Cape Town City, AmaZulu, and there they were asking me to coach top players at Man United,” the former Blackburn and West Ham striker told Creamer Media TV (via A Bola).
“Was I just going to learn? That wasn’t my mindset or my state of mind… ‘They asked me to come and do a job. I’ll show them. Yes, they may know many things, but they don’t know everything, so I could teach them some things they didn’t know.
“That was my mindset when I went there, I’m not there to learn, I’m also there to make a change and make a difference. To improve the situation and learn as much as I can from everything I’m giving there, and then also take something from everyone else.
“Even Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best players in the world, could still teach him something he didn’t know, because I’ve been on this earth longer than him and I’ve done it before him, so there was something he could learn from me,” he added.
