Benni McCarthy appointed first team coach at Manchester United
McCarthy has been working as a manager in South Africa
Written by Training Ground Guru — July 30, 2022
FORMER Blackburn Rovers striker Benni McCarthy is joining Manchester United as first-team coach with special responsibility for "attacking plays and positioning."
McCarthy, 44, played for Seven Stars in his native Cape Town as well as for Ajax, Celta Vigo, Porto, Blackburn, West Ham and Orlando Pirates.
He represented South Africa 79 times and is his country’s all-time leading scorer, as well as being their only player to have won the Champions League (with Jose Mourinho's Porto).
The Uefa Pro Licence coach, who speaks four languages, left his role as manager of AmaZulu in March after leading them to second in the South African top flight. In 2020/21 he was named South African Premier League Coach of the Year.
United said McCarthy would specialise in coaching "attacking plays and positioning." They added that new manager Erik Ten Hag's coaching staff was now complete. It will consist of:
- Assistants Mitchell van der Gaag and Steve McClaren.
- Set piece and individual development coach Eric Ramsay.
- Attacking plays and positioning coach Benni McCarthy.
- Coach Darren Fletcher, who also, as Technical Director, "oversees the path from Academy to the first team, plus players out on loan."
- Goalkeeping coaches Richard Hartis and Craig Mawson.
READ MORE: Man Utd staff profiles
