The Usuthu coach was named the most outstanding tactician of the campaign that was yet again conquered by Mamelodi Sundowns
After AmaZulu's Benni McCarthy was named Premier Soccer League coach of the season, South African fans reacted by arguing whether or not the retired Bafana Bafana star deserved the award.
Critics have pointed out McCarthy should not have been awarded because he joined Usuthu in December when the league was running and that the Mamelodi Sundowns duo of Manqoba Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena (joint managers/head coaches) should have been declared the winners instead. Notably, Steve Komphela is in the role of senior coach at Sundowns which is an unusual setup in the PSL. The coach of the season award is often awarded to the coach that wins the PSL title.
Other critics felt the Sundowns duo was 'robbed' of the award given that they finished 13 points above McCarthy's AmaZulu who secured the Caf Champions League slot by finishing second - their best ever position in the top-flight. Others also felt the coach enjoyed massive resources pumped by Sandile Zungu and thus his road to second place was made even smoother.
However, he received support too, as many felt the South African's achievements during the short period are worth celebrating for he only lost two games at AmaZulu. McCarthy also joined Usuthu when they were in a serious struggle before assisting in stabilising them and dramatically negotiating their move upwards.
How fans reacted to McCarthy's PSL award: