Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag hired Benni McCarthy as a coach back in the summer, with the South African proceeding to impress at Old Trafford.
Benni McCarthy has been brought into focus amid Manchester United’s impressive season so far. However, while he’s improved Marcus Rashford and Co, the South African nearly ended up being overlooked for the post at Old Trafford. Fortunately for the Red Devils that didn’t happen – with the 45-year-old proving to be a valuable backroom figure behind the scenes amid Erik ten Hag’s mission to re-awaken a sleeping giant.
Manchester United hired McCarthy back in August, with the South African brought in to assist the club’s attackers.
And The Athletic claimed at the time that Ten Hag had actually looked at other candidates before deciding to hire the former Porto, Blackburn and West Ham striker.
No names were mentioned but United, it seemed, kept their options open until only one name stood out.
And that was McCarthy, who is now fulfilling a dream by working for the Red Devils – having previously hoped to feature for them as a player.
The report says United were impressed by the way McCarthy, during a trial at Carrington, conducted himself.
The South African put on a long session, broken into four parts, with several alternatives then having a chance to impress Ten Hag.
None did, however. And after McCarthy ‘stood out most’, United decided to bring him in to work with Ten Hag, Steve McClaren and Mitchell van der Gaag behind the scenes.
Some, at the time, wondered whether he was good enough to impress in his role at one of the biggest clubs on the planet.
Yet nobody is doubting McCarthy now, with the South African working wonders with the Red Devils’ attackers – and Rashford in particular.
The England international found himself down in the dumps at the beginning of the campaign after toiling under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick last term.
Source: express.co.uk
