SEDIBENG.-  No one saw this coming until Man United announced on their website the appointment of this former Bafana Bafana leading goal scorer. Speaking to Sedibeng Ster Sport, Mokoena who played with McCarthy at Ajax Amsterdam and Bafana Bafana said this is great news not only for McCarthy but the entire African continent. Mokoena said he is happy for McCarthy because he played this game and studied this game.

“I must say, I’m grateful for Benni because he played football at the highest level of football and also equipped himself as a coach. I have no doubt that is he is going to make a lot of impact there even though it is not going to be easy. Look, Benni was a prolific player especially striker and he know what is expected from him because he has done this as a player.

“I played with Benni both at the club level, and junior national teams until we graduated to Bafana Bafana team. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate him and I have no doubt that he will make us proud.”

McCarthyBenni has achieved a lot as a coach in a short space of time coaching teams like Cape Town City and Amazulu and this appointment has come at the right time to prove his worth.

Mokoena told Sedibeng Ster Sport that it is a concern for him that other countries believe in the potential of the local coaches especially ex-professionals while back here at home it is not the same. He challenged South African football leaders to believe in the ex-professional players in this country. Mbazo as he is affectionally known in the South African football told Sedibeng Ster Sport that, Coach Pitso Mosimane and Lucas Radebe are among the ex-professional players who hoisted the South African flag high in the continent. For example, Radebe was announced as part of CAF technical committee recently.

Mokoena told Sedibeng Ster Sport that he wants to see South African football leaders giving more ex-professional players opportunities to prove themselves. Meanwhile, Mokoena is involved in the development of football in this region, running his own academy.