Orlando Pirates Benni

The famous Orlando Pirates colours. Photo: Archives

Former Bucs legend Klate: If Benni asks me, I’d glady coach Pirates!

Pirates legend Daine Klate has stated that he would love to return and join the Buccaneers coaching team with Benni McCarthy.

Orlando Pirates Benni

The famous Orlando Pirates colours. Photo: Archives

Daine Klate, who spent several memorable seasons at Pirates between 2010 and 2015, holds a Uefa B coaching license, and has made an interesting claim about possibly returning to the club in the near future. Former teammate Benni McCarthy has been linked with the Pirates job, although he has repeatedly suggested that the job is not available considering co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids seem well-entrenched in their positions.

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However, Klate has suggested he would love to one day be part of the coaching group with McCarthy.

“I have a soft spot for Pirates, if Benni asks me to come, I’ll gladly accept it,” Klate told SAFM

“This is something we spoke about when we were still playing. I love Pirates, I supported them as a kid and that’s why I ended up playing for them.”

Towards the end of March McCarthy was dramatically let go by AmaZulu despite there still being several games left in the season. Yet, after a 2021-22 season of apparent underperformance, McCarthy was shown the door.

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Although he has been linked with several clubs, McCarthy has not yet secured a new job, although he is believed to be considering his next best steps. He has revealed why his lofty ambitions will hopefully one day lead him to Europe.

In an interview with SABC Sport, the popular coach suggested his heart would always be with South Africa, but revealed that a job in Europe remained the ultimate long-term goal.

“Of course South Africa is my home, it is my country, it will always have a priority for me… My ambition is to eventually coach in Europe. I want to coach in the (English) Premier League. I want to coach in the Championship, I want to coach in La Liga, I want to coach in Spain, in Portugal. So, that’s my ambition. I aim high, if you don’t aim you are never going to be able to know the limits that you can go. If you even capable of going there or if you just settle for mediocre.”

Recently it was already confirmed that McCarthy had headed to England on somewhat of an exploratory trip, which was to include visits to English Premier League outfit Brentford FC and possibly Crystal Palace later this month.

McCarthy holds a UEFA Pro License, and the visits were part of expanding his knowledge.

Benni McCarthy suggested the Brentford visit was a fact-finding mission of sorts

“What they get to work with and what the difference is between why they are where they are and why we in South Africa we still falling short.

“But as branded that we are a demanding country and we wanna improve, we wanna be there, but look you have to look at facts Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Pirates, now Baroka FC that has proper proper, the old cape town Ajax they have training facility where players come in the morning where it’s like a top professional set up.

“Players come in the morning and they have breakfast and you have everything to your disposal and players go out and go on have their own training facility, their own training pitches where they can train and work on the craft and become better and then afterwards the club is looking after you…. all that plays a huge part in players development and country.”

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