McCarthy to join St Truiden

Former Bafana star club’s new assistant coach

FORMER Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy has started his path to what he hopes will be a successful career as a head coach at high-flying Belgian top-flight side St Truiden. McCarthy was this week appointed as assistant to Northern Irishman Chris O’Loughlin, who is himself a former assistant at Orlando Pirates and also worked at SuperSport United.

O’Loughlin took over from his previous boss, Yannick Ferrera, this week, the latter having joined top side Standard Liege, and had no hesitation in appointing McCarthy, who had already worked with the club’s strikers earlier in the year.

“Benni was here in February to train the strikers and did very well,” O’Loughlin said.

The club’s sporting director, Philippe Borremans, explained their thinking behind bringing in South Africa’s all-time leading scorer.

“Besides O’Loughlin we were looking for someone who has played at the highest level and we came out with Benni McCarthy.

“He has put in magnificent performances in his career and won the Champions League with Porto.”

McCarthy admits it was to his great surprise when he got the call to join the team. “I was in shock,” he said. “Chris obviously has a lot of confidence in me.

“I have a lot of experience in international football and I’m happy to pass that on to the young players at St Truiden – especially the players with a different cultural background.

“I know what it’s like as a youngster to play football in a foreign country.

“What do I want to achieve with St Truiden? To be the champions of Belgium, of course. This season or next season. Why should we not believe that? If I did not think that, I would never have come here.

“Anderlecht, Club Brugge and Gent are also strong teams, but we also have a strong technical group.”

McCarthy hinted he would use his friendship with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho not just for coaching tips, but also players.

“Maybe in the winter [January] we can convince more top talent to come from Chelsea,” he said. “St Truiden is a dream club for those guys. They can develop here.”

St Truiden already have three Chelsea players on loan, Chilean Christian Cuevas, Colombian Joao Rodriguez and Ivorian Victorien Angban.

The club made a better-than-expected start to the season and sit at fifth in the Belgian top flight.

They have never won a league trophy or the country’s major cup competition, but they did claim success in the League Cup in the 1997-98 season.

They were promoted from the Second Division after last season.

The first game in charge for the O’Loughlin-McCarthy partnership will be at home to Sporting Charleroi on Sunday.

‘ I have a lot of experience in international football