Bafana Bafana legend and South African football icon Benni McCarthy has given his opinion on where he would like to see Relebohile Mofokeng play his football.
The 20-year-old is expected to depart Orlando Pirates during this transfer window and has been linked up by a number of suitors in the United States and Israel in recent weeks.
However, McCarthy – the only South African to win a UEFA Champions League title – said he was keen to see the young star playing in Europe to continue his football career.
McCarthy left South Africa as a teenager to join Ajax Amsterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie. He went on to play for the likes of Celta Vigo and FC Porto – where he won the Champions League under José Mourinho – as well as Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United, before returning to the country to finish his career with Orlando Pirates.
Get your news on the go, click here to join the News WhatsApp channel.
“I’ve watched him several times, and I think he’s got huge potential. He’s got the mentality, the football brains, and mentality of players from my generation,” McCarthy, who is currently the head coach of the Kenya national team, said when answering Sport’s question.
“He’s generations ahead of the current crop of players. I think he’s got what it takes to make it in Europe. I would encourage him to find a way to play in Europe. South Africa, yes, it has some of the best players in Africa, but Africa is a small continent in football terms.
“When you play in Europe, you get the chance to play against the biggest and the best. It’s you against the world.”
McCarthy believes that testing oneself in Europe is the only way for South African players to remain relevant and challenge themselves at the highest level.
McCarthy continued: “I think he should consider going to the Scottish league, somewhere like that, so he can work his way up from there. Rangers and Celtic always need strikers they can bring on and develop before selling on to bigger clubs.
“Some players are happy to stay in Africa, and they can make a decent living, but they become irrelevant if they don’t test themselves as hard as they can. If you play in Europe, you can excel, and he could also move to the Dutch or the Portuguese league.
“If you succeed there, it’s only a matter of time before the Premier League sides come calling. I think he’s got the ability, and he needs to give himself the opportunity.”
* Benni McCarthy was speaking to betonlinepromocodes.com. The full interview can be found here.
Sport
