BENNI McCarthy's return to the Bafana team has been vintage stuff. The Bafana all-time leading goalscorer seems to be keeping alive the attitude that makes fans either love him or hate him.

BENNI McCarthy's return to the Bafana team has been vintage stuff. The Bafana all-time leading goalscorer seems to be keeping alive the attitude that makes fans either love him or hate him.

While creating an impression of contrition for past misdeeds, he qualified the apology by adding "if" he were wrong. He is open to the possibility he might not have been wrong but merely misunderstood.

He did not leave room for discussion about his abilities as a player. He is certain that as a striker he has no peer among his countrymen. At his Blackburn Rovers club he is merely unfortunate that the gaffer prefers players who don't play Benni's style of football.

Benni clearly believes that if you have it, flaunt it. If he could translate that confidence into goals there would be no discussion about whether he is an epitome of humility or of arrogance.