Former South African striker Benni McCarthy has revealed that a comment allegedly made by Bobby Motaung played a role in his decision to join Orlando Pirates instead of Kaizer Chiefs when he returned to South African football in 2011.
McCarthy shared the story while promoting his book Benni during an event at Orlando Stadium. During the discussion, the former striker spoke about the circumstances surrounding his move back to the Premier Soccer League after leaving West Ham United.
According to McCarthy, growing up he had always been a supporter of Kaizer Chiefs, and signing for the club would have been a dream opportunity. At the time of his return to South Africa, reports suggested that Chiefs were preparing to sign a major player, with many fans believing that McCarthy was the likely candidate.
However, the move never materialized. McCarthy said he later heard that Bobby Motaung had dismissed the rumours by allegedly stating that Kaizer Chiefs do not sign “washed-out players.” Although the remark was not made directly to him, McCarthy said it was relayed to him by people close to him and remained in his mind.
Rather than respond publicly at the time, McCarthy chose to focus on his next step. When the opportunity to join Orlando Pirates arose, he decided to accept the offer and return to South African football with the Buccaneers.
During his time at Pirates, McCarthy became an influential player for the club. One of the most memorable moments came during the 2012 Soweto Derby when Pirates defeated Chiefs 3–2, a victory that further intensified the rivalry between the two teams.
After that match, McCarthy recalled encountering Motaung and raising the earlier comment. According to the former striker, Motaung jokingly referred to him as a “sell-out” for choosing Pirates instead of Chiefs.
McCarthy said he reminded Motaung about the remark that had described him as a has-been and told him to watch what he could still achieve on the field.
Looking back, McCarthy admitted that the situation felt personal at the time but also served as motivation. He believes the comment helped drive him to prove that he still had the ability to perform at a high level and that joining Orlando Pirates turned out to be the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that he was far from finished as a player.