Benni McCarthy welcomes players to training. Picture: Twitter
Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy was given a hero’s welcome by Manchester United players returning to training this week.
McCarthy joined the English football giants last year as a first team coach specialising in coaching attacking plays and positioning.
Players who were earlier away on international duty resumed training recently, ahead of the start of the new season, and a clip of the players embracing McCarthy quickly went viral online.
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In it, the players can be seen on the training ground when someone calls out “Benni!”. Soon the whole group responds as McCarthy enters the frame with a big smile.
He embraces Argentine international Alejandro Garnacho and others, calling them pet names.
In another clip. McCarthy can be seen participating in a pass drill.
McCarthy’s training sessions have been praised by many at the club.
Speaking to SuperSport previously, Portuguese international Bruno Fernandes said McCarthy had made an immediate impact both on the training pitch.
“He is really funny, he’s always positive, he has good energy in the dressing room and training ground.
“He was a quality player and is a quality manager. We do many drills, from finishing, headers, many stuff that he was really doing when he was playing. It can help us score some goals,” he said.
The Daily Mail UK, reported Fernandes had asked McCarthy to hold extra shooting practice.
The drills proved so popular that superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and others later quickly joined in.
Fernandes was among the players who reportedly signed up for additional sessions with McCarthy
Speaking after his appointment, McCarthy said he was “excited and happy” to join the club.
“[I want to] help these young players, push them, change their mindset and really try to make the difference to United this season.
“Hopefully this season we’re going to see a completely revived United, a hungry bunch of players and a team that’s going to be able to challenge to get into the Champions League and change the dynamics of the Man Cities and Liverpools,”
he told MUTV.
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