Manchester United forwards ‘fortunate’ to be coached by Champions League-winning striker, claims former Red Devils star

March 4, 2024 Sports 3 Views

Manchester United forwards are lucky that they are coached by someone who won the Champions League in their playing days, according to a former star at Old Trafford.

Benni McCarthy won the 2004 Champions League with Porto, following spells elsewhere in Europe with Ajax and Celta Vigo. After a successful spell in Portugal, McCarthy moved to the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United.

Once he retired from professional football, McCarthy moved into coaching. In July 2022 Manchester United appointed him attacking coach, a month after Erik ten Hag had arrived at the club.

Manchester United Strikers Coach Benni McCarthy reacts at the end of the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford on July 31, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images) — McCarthy joined in July 2022 (Image credit: Getty Images)

Former Manchester United star Quinton Fortune played with McCarthy in the South Africa national team for eight years between 1997 and 2005, and is confident that the young attackers within the team will progress exponentially under his tutelage.

“He’s got a tough job on his hands,” Fortune says, speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo via Best Betting Site, “but I was pleased when he arrived at the club because I knew he was a big United fan.

“It was a dream for him to join Manchester United, and those players are so fortunate because they’re getting to learn from someone who won the Champions League and played at the highest level. He’s scored goals in the Champions League and was one of the most complete strikers I ever played with in my life.

Quinton Fortune of Manchester United Legends (Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)

Fortune says the United forwards are lucky to learn from McCarthy (Image credit: Getty Images)

“So anyone that can teach United’s strikers about scoring goals, it’s Benni. The players are also humble enough and clever enough to listen to every word he says.”

Rasmus Hojlund certainly seems to have taken on board the South African’s advice. After a difficult start to the season in which he failed to score in his first 14 Premier League games, the Dane finally got off the mark on Boxing Day against Aston Villa.

The goals have since flooded in for Hojlund, scoring seven in his next six league games to set a new Premier League record. Marcus Rashford also benefitted last term, while the emergence of Alejandro Garnacho has been positively influenced by McCarthy’s coaching, too.