Former FC Porto striker Benni McCarthy has revealed that Bobby Motaung once called him a “sell-out” for signing with Orlando Pirates instead of Kaizer Chiefs.
McCarthy was heavily linked with Amakhosi in 2011 after leaving West Ham United, but he ultimately joined the Buccaneers.
Speaking at the Orlando Stadium while promoting his new book Benni, the retired striker admitted he would have loved to play for Chiefs because he grew up supporting the club.
“I grew up in South Africa supporting, and I still support Kaizer Chiefs. You don’t just lose the team you love because they are going through a difficult time,” McCarthy said.
The former striker revealed he would have been open to joining Amakhosi in 2011, but comments allegedly made by Motaung upset him at the time.
Benni McCarthy returned to SA to join Pirates in 2011
“I remember the first Soweto derby… the night before, I went out with some friends and Bobsteak [Motaung] happened to be right next to us,” McCarthy said in an interview with SuperSport.
“I remember there was this massive article saying ‘Kaizer Chiefs about to sign a big fish’. I don’t know what the true meaning of that is, but a lot of people speculated that the big fish could only be Benni.”
McCarthy said he later heard that Motaung had dismissed rumours of the potential transfer in a way that felt like a personal attack.
“Apparently, Bobby told someone that Kaizer Chiefs don’t sign washed-out players when responding to rumours about me potentially joining the club. This person then went on and told a friend of mine,” he explained.
“At the club I let it slide, but the next day it was a derby and it was still in my head.”
McCarthy eventually got the last laugh when Pirates beat Chiefs 3–2 in 2012, after which he confronted Motaung.
“He was like, ‘Ah you, you’re a sell-out, why did you sign for Pirates?’ I said, ‘Yeah, you forgot hey. Remember Taboo when you said washout/has-been? Watch the space, today I’ll show you who is the has-been.’”
McCarthy said he felt the remarks were a personal attack at the time and admitted that joining Pirates felt like the perfect response.
