The Brazilians are reported to be courting the Bafana legend which could have huge ramifications
Reports that Mamelodi Sundowns are in talks with Benni McCarthy over the possibility of becoming their coach have brought the spotlight on the position of Manqoba Mngqithi.
Mngqithi was handed the reins at Chloorkop following the departure of Rulani Mokwena in July and it seems the powers that be may not be satisfied with his work even when the season is just starting.
It is telling that Sundowns have never confirmed Mngqithi’s official role since Mokwena’s departure. That move left them with room to maneuver; that is, looking for another coach, or waiting to see if he impresses to make it official.
With Mngqithi starting the season with two defeats and two wins, Sundowns look to have started looking elsewhere, hence the reports linking the club to McCarthy.
The Brazilians started with an unconvincing 1-0 win over Polokwane City in the MTN8 quarter-final before back-to-back 1-0 losses to Stellenbosch FC saw them exit the competition at the semi-final.
Those three games saw Mngqithi’s suitability for the Sundowns hot seat questioned although he has stayed defiant, saying his team will bounce back, which to his credit, they did by thrashing eSwatini’s Mbabane Swallows 4-0 in the CAF Champions League last week.
Would McCarthy be an upgrade on Mangqithi at Chloorkop?
However, when Mngqithi thought that would take the pressure off ahead of their PSL season opener against Tshwane rivals SuperSport United, reports of talks between Sundowns and McCarthy emerged.
It is worth noting that the reports claim talks between Sundowns and the Bafana Bafana legend took place in the United Kingdom last week, which was before the big win against Swallows, suggesting the club might have been looking to replace him after the first three games.
It is therefore not good news for the tactician who is left in a position where he has to keep winning to take the spotlight away, even if that might still not be enough to keep his job, if the reports of talks with McCarthy are true.
There is still debate whether McCarthy would be an upgrade on Mngqithi given his seven-year experience as a coach.
South Africa’s all-time top scorer was assistant at Sint-Truiden (2015-2016), managed Cape Town City for two years (2017-2019), winning the MTN8 in 2018, before taking over at AmaZulu from 2020-2022.
His most recent role was at Premier League giants Manchester United where he worked as the club’s attacking coach before he was let go at the end of last season.
Manqoba knows Sundowns well but is not ‘Box Office’ like Benni
Mngqithi, meanwhile, has been at Sundowns since 2013, working as assistant to Pitso Mosimane before he was made co-coach with Mokwena when the latter left in 2020.
Sundowns would rearrange the coaching setup two years later with Mokwena made head coach as he became senior coach.
With Mokwena leaving, it was thought that the Brazilians might look to bring in someone else but Mngqithi remained in charge even though his official role is not clear.
The 53-year-old knows the club in and out and has been part of their successful spell but his critics claim he is not good enough to be head coach as he is untested at that level.
McCarthy, meanwhile, looks like an attractive prospect given his huge profile in South Africa and around the club.
Whether he will implement an attractive playing style as Mokwena or better is still a subject for debate.
It is still just a rumour but Sundowns could be about to make a decision that would have huge ramifications not just on Mngqithi’s future but on the squad, who would have to adapt to a new man and a different style, after spending years and the recent pre-season under a familiar setup.
