AmaZulu boss shares details of the sacking of Benni McCarthy

Benni McCarthy was fired by AmaZulu on Friday. Photo: Steve Haag / Gallo Images

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:

We parted ways on an amicable basis. It is known the role Benni played in taking AmaZulu from above relegation zone to finishing top two last season – and effectively competing in the CAF Champions League, including the group stages. It’s a highly commendable effort and at AmaZulu, we are very grateful. And on that basis wish Benni the best in his future endevours. But it is quite clear that the team needed change and that change needed to happen now, hence we decided to part ways with immediate effect.

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:

We have a technical team who can marshal the forces for the next seven league games and we’ll be out looking for a permanent replacement for Benni. And the search has started in earnest and we are absolutely sure that we’ll have something really great to take AmaZulu to greater heights.

McCarthy is the sixth casualty in the Premiership after Chippa United, Swallows, Baroka, TS Galaxy and Marumo Gallants all fired their coaches this campaign.