Manchester United and Benni McCarthy will part ways when his contract expires on June 30. McCarthy, Bafana Bafana’s all-time leading goal-scorer, will vacate his role as one of manager Erik ten Hag’s assistants after two years with the club.
McCarthy, 46, joined ten Hag’s backroom staff as a striker coach when the Dutchman arrived from Ajax Amsterdam. According to the New York Times, McCarthy, a lifelong United fan, had a positive relationship with many of the United players and enjoyed his time at Old Trafford.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Manchester United striker Ramus Hojland expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, Benni!!”, seemingly bidding farewell to McCarthy.
It appears McCarthy is aiming to return to head coaching. The former Champions League winner with Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto began his managerial career with Cape Town City after earning his coaching badges in Europe. He last managed AmaZulu, leading them to second place in the league and a spot in the CAF Champions League. McCarthy was named Premier Soccer League coach of the season for the successful 2020-21 campaign but was dismissed the following season after AmaZulu struggled to maintain their form.
During his tenure at Manchester United, McCarthy was praised for reviving Marcus Rashford’s form in his first season. However, United finished a disappointing eighth in the Premier League, scoring just 57 goals in 38 games.
The New York Times also reported that United plans to appoint two new coaches to replace McCarthy and Eric Ramsay, who left to join Minnesota United in February. Reports indicate that United is in advanced talks with former Red Devils striker Ruud van Nistelrooy and current Go Ahead Eagles head coach Rene Hake to join ten Hag’s staff.
