Benni McCarthy quickly found out that he would not be in for an easy ride when the Manchester United coach was interviewed by a South African radio station about the season just gone at Old Trafford.
Among the questions that came his way, the former FC Porto and Blackburn Rovers striker was asked whether Erik ten Hag had lost the dressing room, and what the arrival of Ineos would mean for his own future with the Premier League giants.
And, when the focus turned to one member of the Manchester United squad in particular, Benni McCarthy found himself defending a man one caller harshly described as having had a ‘very terrible’ 2023/24 campaign.
Manchester United coach hails Andre Onana impact
The ‘error-prone’ tag can be a difficult one to shift. But if Andre Onana‘s debut campaign at Old Trafford can be summed up in any game, it was arguably Saturday’s FA Cup final victory over Man City.
Yes, Onana could and probably should have kept out Jeremy Doku’s late piledriver, spilling it into the corner. But, without the Cameroonian‘s rapid reflexes and his unshakeable self-confidence, we might be mourning a Wembley collapse rather than a Wembley triumph, Onana saving brilliantly twice from Kyle Walker while easing the pressure with a series of brilliant high claims.
Room to improve, yes. Some kinks to iron out, certainly.
But when you consider what David de Gea became in the latter days of his Man United career, Onana represents an upgrade in a multitude of different areas, from the command of his penalty area to his bravery and, of course, his distribution.
“I think it’s tough for anyone when you come into a club like Manchester United. It’s an institution,” McCarthy, the Red Devils’ forward coach, tells 947 Joburg. “There’s so much that you have to prove, you know, (with) all the great goalkeepers and players that have played for the club.”
Onana certainly endured a difficult start with some high-profile blunders. Particularly during that disastrous Champions League group-stage campaign.
Lest we forget, however, that De Gea and even Peter Schmeichel made headlines for the wrong reasons at the beginning of their own United careers. For McCarthy, once Onana settles into Premier League life, the £47 million glovesman’s critics will quickly become members of the Andre fan club.
Swapping De Gea for Onana was Erik ten Hag’s call
“Andre is the first African goalkeeper to play for Man United. The manager knew him, the manager was with him at Ajax, and he knew his attributes. His calibre,” McCarthy adds, highlighting the role Ten Hag played in bringing his former Eredivisie ace to England.
“It was a managerial choice. Yes, everyone loved David. David was an iconic player for the club. Unbelievable history. But, unfortunately, when you’re time is up, your time is up.
The manager just felt he wanted a change and wanted to bring in a goalkeeper who he knows really well, who is really good with his feet. And that’s why the manager really wanted to bring in Andre Onana, especially with what he did in the Champions League final for Inter Milan.
“Everyone was super excited about having Onana coming in.
“You see the ability, you see the quality in training every day,” adds McCarthy, who’s future looks uncertain as Ineos consider a change in the dugout.
“He is lightning quick under the sticks. But, yeah, when it comes to game time, lapses of concentration, sometimes you get punished at that level. But he’s a phenomenal goalkeeper for me. And he will get better once he’s found his feet properly.
“People will learn to appreciate what we see every day.”