New Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy has worked under some great coaches, but he wants to be his own man.
McCarthy, 39, has joined the Mother City club on a three-year deal just over a year after completing his Uefa A Licence.
Cape Town is where it began for him as a player with Seven Stars in the late '90s, before a successful career in Europe with Ajax Amsterdam (Holland), Celta Vigo (Spain), Porto (Portugal), Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United (both England).
And he is delighted that as far as coaching is concerned, his hometown is where it begins for him as a club head coach.
Having played under the likes of Gavin Hunt at Seven Stars, José Mourinho at Porto where they won the Uefa Champions League in 2004, and Jomo Sono in South Africa's senior national team, McCarthy said he has learnt a lot along the way.
"Mourinho was very efficient and effective. He's a born winner and he's a players' manager; he took the time to know the players and put his hand around players when they were not doing so good. Everyone was pulling in the same direction," McCarthy recalled.
As much as he wants to be his own man, McCarthy's coaching style is, in his own words, similar to what he said about Mourinho. "I want players to feel comfortable. They should be able to trust me like I trust them, so we must have an open relationship with a lot of respect," he explained.
"I've picked up a little bit of everything, but I don't want to be like Mourinho. The only thing I will take from him is he is a trophy [winning] man and I want to add that to my game," he insisted.
McCarthy, who remains Bafana Bafana's top scorer, started out as an assistant coach to Chris O'Loughlin at Belgian First Division A club Sint-Truidense VV.
His biggest challenge will be to ensure City, who won the Telkom Knockout and finished third, continue to punch above their weight .
Trust is key for new City boss Benni
New Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy has worked under some great coaches, but he wants to be his own man.
McCarthy, 39, has joined the Mother City club on a three-year deal just over a year after completing his Uefa A Licence.
Cape Town is where it began for him as a player with Seven Stars in the late '90s, before a successful career in Europe with Ajax Amsterdam (Holland), Celta Vigo (Spain), Porto (Portugal), Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United (both England).
And he is delighted that as far as coaching is concerned, his hometown is where it begins for him as a club head coach.
Having played under the likes of Gavin Hunt at Seven Stars, José Mourinho at Porto where they won the Uefa Champions League in 2004, and Jomo Sono in South Africa's senior national team, McCarthy said he has learnt a lot along the way.
"Mourinho was very efficient and effective. He's a born winner and he's a players' manager; he took the time to know the players and put his hand around players when they were not doing so good. Everyone was pulling in the same direction," McCarthy recalled.
As much as he wants to be his own man, McCarthy's coaching style is, in his own words, similar to what he said about Mourinho. "I want players to feel comfortable. They should be able to trust me like I trust them, so we must have an open relationship with a lot of respect," he explained.
"I've picked up a little bit of everything, but I don't want to be like Mourinho. The only thing I will take from him is he is a trophy [winning] man and I want to add that to my game," he insisted.
McCarthy, who remains Bafana Bafana's top scorer, started out as an assistant coach to Chris O'Loughlin at Belgian First Division A club Sint-Truidense VV.
His biggest challenge will be to ensure City, who won the Telkom Knockout and finished third, continue to punch above their weight .
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