Benni McCarthy: How Harambee Stars Coach Used a R42,000 Bar Tab to Inspire AmaZulu's Miracle Season

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy knows a thing or two about getting the best out of footballers, and during his remarkable spell at AmaZulu, he had an unconventional way of keeping his players motivated.

McCarthy transformed AmaZulu during the 2020/21 Premier Soccer League season, guiding a team that had finished 13th the previous campaign to a stunning second-place finish and their first-ever qualification for the CAF Champions League group stage.

But according to former AmaZulu striker Lehlohonolo Majoro, one of the secrets behind that extraordinary campaign was Benni McCarthy’s ability to make his players feel valued away from the training pitch.

Speaking on the iDiski Dine podcast, Majoro recalled how Benni McCarthy would use nights out as an incentive for his players during busy periods of the season.

“What I liked about Coach Benni is that he knows how to manage players,” Majoro said. “He used to say, ‘We have a game on Tuesday and on Saturday. I know you guys are adults and want to have fun. Here’s the deal: you get me six points, and we'll meet at the rooftop after the match. Leave your wallets at home; I've got this.’”

The message was simple: win both matches, collect six points, and the Harambee Stars coach would take care of the celebrations.

“From Monday, when we got to training, we knew we had to work hard,” Majoro said. “Those were his tactics. It got to a point where I would tell a teammate, ‘We have a game tomorrow, we have to win... stop what you're doing.’”

The incentive eventually became part of the team's mentality, with players holding one another accountable because everyone wanted the same reward.

“We would reprimand each other because we were all pulling in the same direction. What we were always thinking about was: ‘Leave the wallet at home,’” Majoro recalled.

“He wasn't playing when he said that. We won two games, got six points, and everyone was happy. We got there, and in 30 minutes, the bill was R42,000 for the first round alone.”

But even after the eye-watering bill started piling up, Benni McCarthy was not done. “He said, ‘You want to finish my money? You guys have one last round, I'm closing this bill.’ I couldn't believe it because there was nothing on the table; people had ordered and put their drinks somewhere else.”

The former Bafana Bafana striker was not simply trying to get results from his players. He was building relationships and creating an environment where the squad felt connected.

“Those are the little things that made football fun,” Majoro said. “You have a coach who believes in you, wants to achieve with you, and even wants to see you do what you might do in hiding, but with him. It was like team building and having fun.”

“It became a norm. We would have random braais (barbecues) and talk about our problems. That's why we managed to finish second. We took it upon ourselves,” Majoro concluded.

Benni McCarthy's AmaZulu story offers a glimpse into the man-management style the Kenyan national team can expect from their new coach.

His success was not built solely on tactics and training sessions. Majoro's account suggests Benni McCarthy understood the importance of creating trust, camaraderie and a strong sense of collective responsibility within the dressing room.

Now in charge of Harambee Stars, Benni McCarthy will be expected to bring that same ability to unite a squad as Kenya prepares for a new chapter under the former Bafana Bafana star.

If his AmaZulu players are anything to go by, the Kenyan dressing room may be about to discover that for Benni McCarthy, football is serious business, but enjoying the journey together matters too.