How did it feel to became the first South
African to score at the World Cup finals?
Incredible. I’d watched the finals as a kid,
then I was playing in France 98, and scored
our first goal.
You were the most expensive South African
when you left Holland for Celta Vigo. Is it
true that you’re banned from La Coruna?
Not officially. But when I played for Celta Vigo,
the rivalry with Deportivo La Coruna was so
tough. I celebrated wildly when we scored a
goal against them. In an interview I also used
a derogatory name for people from La Coruna,
which people from Vigo used. I’m not officially
banned, but I was told that I should never
step foot in La Coruna again. I’d get punched
if I went there, but I have no intention of
going there when beautiful Vigo is next door.
What was it like playing in Spain?
Difficult at first, a new language. Being black
wasn’t easy playing in Spain. I was racially
abused all the time, it was horrendous. I was
called ‘monkey’ on a weekly basis.
But then you crossed the border and Jose
Mourinho entered your life...
I was low on confidence when I went to Porto,
where this new young manager put his arm
around me. He wanted to know about my life,
my family. He was like an older brother looking
after me. I felt at ease. I wasn’t an outsider
from Africa, I was treated the same as all the
other players. That allowed me to focus on
football, he made me feel special and it helped
me to play my best. I became the first South
African player to win the Champions League.
You were regularly linked with a move to
the Premier League...
I really wanted to play in England. Everton
and David Moyes were interested, and Kevin
Keegan wanted me at Manchester City. He
got Robbie Fowler and Nicolas Anelka instead.
Middlesbrough were about to sign me - I went
to the training ground and wanted to play for
Bryan Robson, but Porto couldn’t agree a deal.
Mourinho was happy about that. He said he
wantedtogotoEngland and that he’d take
mewhenheeventually did. He tried to take
a, but Porto wouldn’t allow it.
oospell against me that England
ingto happen for me. I was in
onein Porto and I’d given up my
m,but Mark Hughes came calling.
e atBlackburn to replace Craig
h my contract running down,
e happy to make some money.
d a good first year at Blackburn,
hings went off the boil. Why did
appen?
a. Myhead was turned and Jose
o sign me.
thefuture hold for you?
s. I’m watching former players
diolaand Mauricio Pochettino,
against in Spain. I don’t want to
m.I don’t see any black coaches
r League. I’m going to strive and
cemyself to be a Premier League
day.It’s a big dream and no one
tobe able to crush it.rFourTwo September 2019 103How would you describeBenniMcCarthy
the manager?
Animated, passionate – justlikeI wasonthe
pitch. I love my job. I like makinga difference
to the lives of players andimprovingthem.
Sometimes I’m too animatedandgetinto
trouble, like fights with oppositionmanagers
and referees. I’ll trim it downasI maturein
coaching, but the passionwillnevergoaway.
Did you ever see yourselfasa manager?
No, but I always passed onadvicetoplayers.
I could see things happeningbeforetheydid
on the pitch. I have muchtogive,especiallyto
young players in South Africa.I spentmostof
my career at a high level inEurope,andsaw
the youth system at Ajax.I playedforvery
good teams in Spain and Portugal,where
Porto were perfectionists andwinners.We
won the Champions LeagueandI learned
a lot working under Jose Mourinho,before
playing in the Premier League.I learnedhow
to be the best professionalI couldbe,and
I wanted to give South Africanfootballwhatit
was lacking. I did all my coachingbadges,I’ve
studied the game and I canhelpplayersmake
better decisions on the pitch.
Some South African playershaveamazing
nicknames. What are thebestones?
The outrageous nicknamesarea culturething.
I grew up in Cape Town, withitsBritishand
Afrikaan influences. I rememberthelateJohn
‘Shoes’ Moshoeu. He had unbelievablefeetand
looked like he was wearingdancingshoes.
There was another playercalled‘Bazooka’!
I used to think, ‘What on earthmadesomeone
call him ‘Bazooka’?’ But hewouldhammerthe
ball so hard that the keeper had no chance.
Then there was Doctor Khumalo – that was
his real name. His nickname was ‘16 valve’
and he was a legendary player who I idolised.
He was like Paul Scholes, the brains of the
operation, named after the VW Golf which
came out and was super fast. Doctor was
slow so I couldn’t understand the name, but
it was because of his quick thinking. Some of
the nicknames are ironic, though. We had
a young player called ‘Grandpa’ in our team.
How would you describe Hanover Park on
the Cape Flats where yougrewupplaying?
We were street footballers,butit wasn’tfor
the faint-hearted. You’dhea
over the football pitch –we’d
mid-match, then carry on.Li
professional football, becaus
seen in my childhood. Thedr
football teams and they’dha
tournaments. It was gangste
football but there weretruce
games were played onthew
You went from that toAjax
factory in 1997...
They’d just won the Champio
playing teenagers like Patrick
was a culture shock to goto
My eyes popped out of myh
at nearly naked womeninth
area. In the windows, theylo
were from magazines, andth
me! If you tried to speaktoa
Town, they’d chase you away
these women wanted me,a
street. It took a while togetInterview Andy MittenThe ex-Porto and Blackburn striker is now
boss of Cape Town City – returning to the
place where he dodged bullets as a childBEnnI MCCARTHY
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