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Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has been rumoured to be among those being lined up by his former club Orlando Pirates but there are reasons why he will stay put in Kenya.
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy is among names being mentioned in relation to the soon-to-be vacant Orlando Pirates coaching job in his country South Africa.
Pirates are already on the lookout for a new coach after Spanish tactician Jose Riveiro announced that he will not renew his contract after three successful years with the South African giants.
That has led to speculation over the best possible candidates who could replace Riveiro in the Pirates hot seat and McCarthy, who enjoys a cult-status in South Africa and at Pirates, is among those linked with the job.
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McCarthy had two very successful years when he helped the club to the 2021-12 league title, their last PSL crown, as well as the MTN8 the same season, and is popular among the club’s supporters but there are factors that make his return to South Africa now unlikely.
Benni McCarthy Fully Committed to Kenya
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Benni McCarthy just signed a two-year contract as Kenya national team coach in March 2025 and it is unlikely that he will abandon that project after less than three months.
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17:30 - 18.04.2025
Shock as Harambee Stars Coach Benni McCarthy Linked With Surprise Exit
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has been tipped for a coaching role with with former club.
While the Pirates job is appealing, leading Harambee Stars to success has equally thrilled the former Manchester United first team coach and he is currently immersed in the Kenyan football culture, attending matches around the country, as he scouts for the right players.
McCarthy signed a two-year contract, taking him up to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, and while it is not known what the exit clause stipulates, Pirates might need to buy him out of his deal, believed to be worth Ksh8 million a month, if they were really serious about getting him.
That might be too expensive when those funds can be used on improving the squad while McCarthy does not appear to habour the desire to return to club football just when he has started his adventure into the international football space.
Easily Available Experienced Options for Pirates
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The other issue that plays to Pirates’ advantage as they search for Riveiro’s successor is the availability of more experienced and successful South African coaches who will not need buying out of their contracts.
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17:41 - 18.04.2025
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Already, Pitso Mosimane and Gavin Hunt, the two most experienced and successful South African coaches, are without a job while Rhulani Mokwena, considered one of the best young tacticians in Africa, is soon to be free.
Mosimane, who led Mamelodi Sundowns to great success during his eight-year spell before two CAF Champions League crowns with Al Ahly, ranks highest on the list of possible successors to Riveiro, while Mokwena, set to leave Moroccan giants Wydad at the end of the season, has excited fans with his attractive style of play, which also brought him success at Sundowns, besides previously working at Pirates.
Meanwhile, Hunt has plenty of experience, having coached in the South African top flight for 27 years and won four league titles with the likes of SuperSport United and now defunct Bidvest Wits.
Pirates’ Recent Preference for Foreign Coaches
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However, while these South African coaches are being linked to the Pirates job, the Buccaneers are known to spring up surprises when it comes to coaching appointments.
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19:02 - 18.04.2025
Harambee Stars Goalkeeper’s Predicament In South Africa To Give Benni McCarthy Selection Headache
The goalkeeper has turned into a bench warmer at his club which could see Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy look elsewhere for future assignments.
Riveiro, an unknown when he arrived at the Soweto giants in July 2022, was surprise appointment that saw fans label him a ‘plumber’ before he went on to silence his doubters, and veteran Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza might have something up his sleeves once more.
McCarthy was among a host of South African coaches who were overlooked when Riveiro was hired and it is likely that Khoza will be looking beyond the borders again for a coach to fill the big shoes that will be vacated by the Spaniard.
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