Benni McCarthy: Kaizer Chiefs Title-Winning Coach Backs Harambee Stars Boss for South African Giants

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy recently made it clear that he desires to coach South African giants Kaizer Chiefs some day and he has been backed to take over soon.

McCarthy admitted a couple of weeks ago that he has always been a Kaizer Chiefs supporter, even if he played for their arch rivals Orlando Pirates, and would be thrilled if an opportunity to coach them presented itself.

That has led to speculation that the South African legend might not see out his contract with Kenya which is supposed to end in 2027 after next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

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With current Chiefs co-coaches Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef struggling as they enter the final months of their contracts, a number of tacticians have been linked to the job but Englishman Stuart Baxter believes McCarthy is cut for the role.

“And the present coaches may get sacked today or tomorrow or in three years. But, you know, if you’re a coach and you’re going to get sacked, you want to be sacked for the things that you believe in,” Baxter told South African outlet FARPost.

“So I would say, there are plenty of coaches that could accept the pressure. I mean, look, you could bring Benni McCarthy but it’s allowing that person the conditions to be the coach he is and trusting him. That’s what Bobby [Motaung] did with me. That’s what Kaizer senior did with me. And everybody helped me the first time,” he added.

That is a great endorsement for McCarthy as Baxter is the last man to lift the league title with Chiefs, having led Amakhosi to the 2014-15 Premier Soccer League crown.

Since then, Chiefs have fallen off with only one trophy in the last 11 years, being last season’s Nedbank Cup, and are set for a trophyless campaign this term.

Chiefs have only finished in the top two once since winning the league, in 2019-20, and hit an all-time low in the last two seasons with a 10th place finish in 2023-24 and ninth in 2024-25.