FRUSTRATED MCCARTHY WANTS TEAM TO IMPROVE
AN unhappy Benni McCarthy is threatening to come out of retirement at the age of 40 to show up his Cape Town City players for their lack of scoring acumen.
This comes after a limp 1-0 win over Swazi opponents Young Buffaloes in the African Confederation Cup on Tuesday.
The rookie coach was angry at a myriad of missed chances and felt that a victory by three or four goals would have been a more appropriate scoreline against the hapless Swazis.
“It gets a bit frustrating when you stand on the sidelines and see that your team does create numerous chances against all the opposition that we play, but it seems we can’t score goals‚” he said. “I honestly don’t know what to do any more – if I must maybe go for liposuction and get myself to play.
“Maybe that will do the trick, because the players will be a bit embarrassed by a 40-year-old taking their place and actually doing unbelievably well because I back myself.
“I could do better than what a few of them are doing.
“Not that I am putting them down, but it is just happening far too often.
“Our training [sessions] almost all [focus] on attacking and scoring goals.
“[The players] can never complain that they don’t do enough of it.
“But then it comes to game time and . . . ‚” he tailed off‚ throwing his hands up in frustration.
McCarthy did field a fringe side with 10 changes from the game at Soccer City at the weekend, where they lost narrowly to Kaizer Chiefs.
“It was a great opportunity to make some changes and give some of the guys who haven’t played enough games a chance to catch up, get some fitness and game time in a good competitive game.”
Tuesday’s 1-0 scoreline added to a 1-0 win away in the first leg at the Somhlolo Stadium earlier this month for an aggregate triumph and a place in next month’s second round.
“The first leg was difficult because it was the first time we had played on an artificial pitch and we didn’t know enough about our opponents.
“They were pretty organised, but the challenge was more getting used to the pitch and the conditions.
“All those black bits [the rubber from the artificial pitch] in your boots and in your socks – it was a bit uncomfortable.
“We were lucky to score an away goal.
“Today I gave [the players] a bollocking, because when you get opportunities‚ you have a chance to show yourself‚ get goals‚ take the chances and get used to scoring goals.
“But it looked like another ‘smash-and-grab’ kind of game for us because it is always 1-0‚ 1-0‚ 1-0 for us‚” McCarthy said .