Benni McCarthy Takes Aim at Hugo Broos Over Relebohile Mofokeng’s Belgian Success

• Relebohile Mofokeng's impressive start in Belgium has brought fresh attention to Hugo Broos' earlier reservations
• Benni McCarthy has explained why the former Orlando Pirates attacker deserves recognition for his European progress
• The Kenyan coach has also shared advice for Mofokeng ahead of Bafana Bafana's upcoming qualifiers

Benni McCarthy has taken aim at Hugo Broos over his earlier doubts about Relebohile Mofokeng's ability to succeed in European football. The former Bafana Bafana striker believes the 22-year-old has already silenced his biggest critics after an impressive start at Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium.

McCarthy, who now coaches Kenya's Harambee Stars, praised Mofokeng's resilience and highlighted how the youngster has adapted to a different footballing environment after leaving Orlando Pirates.

Benni McCarthy says Mofokeng proved Hugo Broos wrong

Speaking during an interview with SportyTV, McCarthy recalled Broos' concerns about Mofokeng's physical build and whether he could compete in Europe.

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"I think the biggest compliment I can give the boy is that he proved Hugo Broos wrong," McCarthy said, according to IOL Sport.

He added:

"Hugo Broos was highly critical of him, thinking that he was too small, he was too skinny, he was too petite, and he wasn't up to European standards."

Mofokeng has registered five goals and four assists in 17 appearances across all competitions for the Belgian club. McCarthy said he was particularly proud of the youngster's ability to overcome uncomfortable situations, describing him as a survivor who could succeed anywhere.

McCarthy warns Mofokeng against complacency

Despite praising his progress, McCarthy urged Mofokeng to maintain his standards and continue believing in himself.

"He just needs to continue, and keep on believing in himself," he said.

The former Bafana star believes a strong season could provide a stepping stone towards bigger opportunities, potentially including Champions League football.

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Bafana prepare for Kenya double-header

Mofokeng will hope to maintain his momentum as South Africa face Kenya in back-to-back AFCON qualifiers. The first encounter is scheduled for Friday, 13 November, at Orlando Amstel Arena, with the return fixture in Nairobi on Tuesday, 17 November.

McCarthy, South Africa's all-time leading scorer with 31 goals, will be on the opposing bench. The fixtures add another interesting dimension to his comments about Mofokeng, who will be looking to continue making his mark for club and country.

Relebohile Mofokeng turned down bigger Mamelodi Sundowns offer

Briefly News previously reported that Relebohile Mofokeng turned down a significantly bigger salary at Mamelodi Sundowns to join Orlando Pirates.

His father, Sechaba Mofokeng, explained that the Tshwane club offered R15,000 per month, compared with Pirates' R6,000.

Source: Briefly News