Benni McCarthy happy to have headaches at AmaZulu

Every time one gets the slightest of headaches, the panic automatically sets in as serve head poundings are one of the symptoms for the novel coronavirus that has the entire globe by its scrotum. But a headache is very much welcomed by AmaZulu head coach Benni McCarthy, who does not mind having one when it comes to his squad.

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McCarthy is from the school of thought that pushes the ‘more is better’ narrative, saying he wants to scratch his head when he has to select his match day squad. AmaZulu will play their next DStv Premiership match at home to Stellenbosch FC on Friday.

“These footballers are not just footballers, they are athletes and it is very important to try and get all the players on par with their fitness so that we are able to make changes – when you lose Thembela Sikhakhane, Limbikani Mzava, Augustine Mulenga to injury, those are three key players in the team.

“The guys who come in to replace them must be ready to take the opportunity and make the most (of it) and be positive for the team. It is great for a coach to have so many options and I hope that we can get our injured players back so we can get back to a full squad, where you get a headache as a coach to choose from a bunch of fit players.

“Hopefully for Stellenbosch we will have everybody back. I want to have headaches when I am selecting my first 11 and the substitutes. That is what these players are giving me and that’s fantastic,” McCarthy added.

“These players are just a bunch of winners. It is really difficult for a coach not to succeed when you have players like these, who are willing to work hard and are willing to put in the effort and are willing to learn and get better.”

AmaZulu come off the back of a 2-0 win away to Baroka FC – they have spent the past week on the road, also drawing with SuperSport United. Right now Usuthu are sitting in the top half of the DStv Premiership standings, but have won just one of their last five matches. McCarthy is happy that his players are adapting to the philosophy he is trying to instil on at Usuthu.

“We have been playing fantastic football, it was just a matter of time until we get on our feet and once we are clinical in front of goal we will run teams over. When we score the goals we will definitely pick up three points – we have scored two goals against Baroka and we were unfortunate not to get three or four,” said McCarthy.

“A week away from home and four points out of a possible six… ya, not bad. SuperSport could have been another three but beggars can’t be choosers so we take the four points and we move on and now we can actually see our families because the boys have been away from their families for so long. We were away for a week and now we can focus on our next match against Stellenbosch.

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