Benni McCarthy says he would love to manage Blackburn Rovers after reiterating his love for the club.
The South African forward was a fans’ favourite at Ewood Park and remains a cult hero for his contribution to the club in their successful ‘Barclays’ era.
McCarthy was part of Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff at Manchester United but left in the summer with the aim of becoming a manager. He would love to do that at Ewood Park, professing his adoration for Ewood Park and the club that gave so much to his career.
Valerien Ismael is the current favourite for the role with Rovers expected to make an appointment this week. But McCarthy is keen for any future vacancies.
READ MORE: ROVERS MANAGER LATEST AS NEW FAVOURITE EMERGES
“It’s a very difficult one to say whether I would get the Blackburn manager’s job. You don't see many ex-players go back and manage the clubs they played for. If you do, then you're exceptionally fortunate,” McCarthy said.
“I think it would be amazing to be the Blackburn manager. It would probably be the dream because Blackburn was my first Premier League club. Growing up watching the Premier League and supporting Man United, I knew everything about the Premier League.
“When I eventually got to the Premier League, I played for Blackburn, and it was a wonderful family club. It was a club that made me feel at home, like I was from Blackburn, you know. The fans instantly accepted me, and they loved me. And then they had a song for me, and it was incredible.
“Every time I stepped on to that pitch at Ewood Park, I just wanted to make people happy. I wanted to make people smile because that's how the club made me feel. They got the best out of me as well.
“Porto got the very best out of me because we won the Champions League. But I think Blackburn, from being just a modest club in the Premier League, to be able to go toe-to-toe with all the big guns, we loved it. We stood our ground, so I loved the club.
“If there is a possibility, of course I would love to go back, because you just know for a fact there's not a single thing that you wouldn't want to do for a club that you love. Getting them back into the Premier League would be my ultimate goal because it's been so many years now that the club has suffered in League One and the Championship. They haven’t been able to get themselves back into the Premier League, where they belong.
“I would, if I could, love to have some part to play in it. But at the end of the day, it's not up to me. Like, how many people like me do you see in managing in the Premier League? It is what it is. I won't hold my breath.”
McCarthy is desperate to continue forging a career in coaching after an impressive career. It gives him an opportunity to retain the buzz of playing which he’s always craved.
“I live and breathe football and what the game has given to me, I would love to give it back.
“the only way for me to be able to do that is to do what I love most with a smile on my face with passion is coaching and teaching, making players have the same love that I have for the game.
That’s why coaching gives me that satisfaction, but it also gives you the thrill of being on that touchline and, you know, just making your team play a way that you love to see, with action and hunger and determination and desire. But most of all, winning football matches is the best thing ever.
“That’s what I that's what I want to do. And I'm going to get my opportunity to do that again soon.”
Benni McCarthy was speaking at the launch of Ladbrokes’ “Gaffer of all Accas”
