Ajax Cape Town coach Muhsin Ertugral has lamented the behavior of Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy following the Citizens’ victory in the Ikapa Derby.
Craig Martin’s solitary strike ensured that City maintained their dominance againt Ajax with four wins in as many games, however the encounter was marred by an incident between the two coaches.
With ten minutes left in the game, City made a substitution however the change was not seen by the referee which allowed City to momentarily play with 12-men, which Ertugral felt warranted a yellow card, however McCarthy took offence and was sent to the stands for remonstrating.
“Benni needs to learn … he was a great player, but he also needs to learn how to behave a bit on the side,” Muhsin said in post-match comments.
“There is a line [technical area]‚ why did they draw a line there? He came out of his line to my line and asked what I am doing.
“I don’t know what he is doing. He should ask himself that.
“I am long in this business and we put him out in the stands very quickly. Later on he wanted to explain to me certain things‚ but after the game for me these things are always over.
“That is there‚ in the 90 minutes. He will take time to learn‚ but he will,” he added.
The spat continued after the game as Ertrugal revealed that Benni waited for him in the tunnel after the game.
“When I came out [of the field] he was waiting for me outside. I have a great respect for him‚ he is, in my opinion, a young boy that has achieved. How many players in South Africa have achieved what he has?
“There are two things in the football world that players want to achieve I think‚ win the World Cup and win the Champions League. He has achieved that.
“But after the game and I came out of the tunnel‚ he wanted to talk to me and I went to him and listened to him.
“He didn’t want to listen to what I had to say though, he wanted to go mad at me and I said, “If you want to go mad, I can’t help you.”
“Someone after asked if I was wrong, but they [City] had a couple more players on the field than us! The rule says very clearly‚ it’s a card. It’s my right to ask for it.
“This is football here‚ this is not an old pension home‚ we are playing a derby and I have a right to say that.
“Is he allowed [to speak]‚ because he played in the Champions League‚ and I am not allowed to speak? Does he have more rights than me‚ what is it?
“Then he gets out of his line and wants to explain something‚ so I say get back to your line there.
“There’s a line there, and you need to be in there. When you get out because you want to explain something‚ then I will complain that you are out there.
“After that, for me, it was finished, but he still wanted to carry on [after the game]. He needs to learn‚ he is still a baby … next time I will bring lollipops so he can play with it,” he concluded.
Photo: BackPagepix
-This story originally appeared on SportsClub.co.za
