Cape Town City boss Benni McCarthy isn’t a guy who shows any signs of weakness, but he seems to be paaping ahead of Wednesday night’s 7.30pm PSL clash against Kaizer Chiefs at Soccer City.
Since taking charge of the club in 2017, the former Bafana Bafana ace has not beaten the Amakhosi. In fact, he has never avoided defeat against the Glamour Boys.
And he believes that since coach Ernst Middendorp replaced Giovanni Solinas, Chiefs have improved.
He says: “Chiefs is another story, it is a team that I haven’t beaten as a coach yet, three attempts and three losses, it’s not going to be easy, but as confident as I am in my team, I’m sure since the arrival of Middendorp they have become more organised, more solid and disciplined.”
Benni will feel a little more confident after Chiefs struggled to beat ABC Motsepe club Tornado FC in the Nedbank Cup last weekend, when the Sowetans needed an own goal in extra time to beat the minnows.
BIG CHIEF: Ernst Middendorp. Photo: SAMUEL SHIVAMBU/BACKPAGEPIX
City will be without suspended centreback Taariq Fielies, but Benni reveals he has plenty of returning players to turn to for the Jozi clash.
He adds: “They are a decent unit, so it is not going to be an easy game, but for me my main priority now is getting my players recovered and see where the niggles are, and I am delighted to have Surprise [Ralani] back from a long lay down, Kermit [Erasmus] is back as well.
“Dove [Edmilson] has come back and then I have [Ebrahim] Seedat coming back from suspension.
“We are missing [Taariq] Fielies, but it’s okay.”