McCarthy on Sithebe and Chiefs issue: 'You don't want to get bitten on the backside'

Benni McCarthy has taken a more circumspect approach than his AmaZulu chair Sandile Zungu regarding Siyethemba Sithebe reportedly signing a precontract to join Kaizer Chiefs.

But the coach of the Durban team also admitted Usuthu “don't want to get bitten on the backside” over the issue.

Zungu has threatened to ban Sithebe for the remainder of the 2021-22 season for agreeing to join Chiefs at the end of the campaign, saying the midfielder “will never wear the Usuthu jersey again”.

McCarthy was more diplomatic when asked about the player at Tuesday's Nedbank Cup launch in Sandton.

The Bafana Bafana legend, though, did admit that in a case where a player has signed a precontract, coaches start to look at the players who will fill his role, and that AmaZulu don't want to “be bitten” by preparing Sithebe with game time simply for him to star later for Chiefs.

“The Sithebe issue is with the club. I was away on a break in Scotland with my family when all this happened,” McCarthy said.

“I came back and read in the newspapers that, ‘Sithebe is never going to put on an AmaZulu shirt again’. So yeah, you can also understand it from a club point of view.

“I did have conversations with the president, and with the board, about us having to be on the same page.

"Because at the end of the day he's still our player and he's not gone yet, and in these circumstances we have to sometimes put emotions aside.

“We can't just do it on an emotional ride and say that I'm not playing the player because he's going to be someone else's player. I don't think that's how life's supposed to be.

“So we want to find the best solution for all parties — for AmaZulu, for the player and his representatives, so that there's an understanding and we can send him off [well].”

McCarthy said he has not had an opportunity to discuss the issue in person with Sithebe.

“When I came back we had a few days of preseason and then the Compact Cup.

"Yesterday [Monday] was the first day I had a full squad training, so I've not really had a moment where I could pull Sithebe aside.

“But he's a grown man — he knew what he was doing. And it's been part and parcel of our football since I can remember — nine out of 10 times when a player signs a precontract he doesn't play again [at the club he's leaving].

“Because the club doesn't want the player to play, the coach also wants to prepare the young or new players in that place — why prepare a player and make him the best for another club?

“I suffered that with [Chiefs' off-season signing Sibusiso] Mabiliso.

"AmaZulu turned his football around, he went to the Olympics, and then he said, 'Goodbye', and he's gone to Chiefs.

“And now we're facing a similar situation and you don't want to get bitten on the backside with the same thing happening.”

Usuthu return from the Christmas and Africa Cup of Nations break with a tasty Nedbank Cup last-32 clash against Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium on Sunday.