
Benni McCarthy was fired by AmaZulu on Friday. Photo: Steve Haag / Gallo Images
It was a matter of when – not if – Benni McCarthy would be fired by AmaZulu.
And it happened on Friday.
The Durban-based club confirmed the sacking of the 44-year-old tactician after nearly two seasons in charge.
The news had already broke In a minute-long video posted on the club’s official Twitter account, AmaZulu president Sandile Zungu confirmed the technical team change at the club and that Usuthu had already started the search for McCarthy’s replacement.
“It is true that with effect from today, Benni McCarthy and AmaZulu Football Club parted ways,” Zungu said.
He elaborated:
Zungu added that Usuthu have a squad that the club’s management believe it can compete and can take the team to a respectable position come the end of the current season.
Usuthu have been struggling to conjure up positive results in the DStv Premiership. They have not won a league match since they ended Mamelodi Sundowns’s long unbeaten run in December last year.
They have registered the most draws this season with 14 stalemates.Since the league programme resumed last month, sandwiched between their four draws and two loses in the new year, were 1-0 wins over Horoya AC and ES Sétif.AmaZulu are ninth on the Premiership log table with seven games remaining.
Their hopes for a Champions League quarterfinal berth were dashed by a 2-0 home defeat to Moroccan side Raja Casablanca last Friday.
McCarthy left behind his lieutenants Siyabonga Nomvethe, Vasili Manousakis and goalkeeper coach Moeneeb Josephs, who Zungu confirmed would take over in the interim to finish the season.
Zungu said:
McCarthy is the sixth casualty in the Premiership after Chippa United, Swallows, Baroka, TS Galaxy and Marumo Gallants all fired their coaches this campaign.