Benni McCarthy’s Harambee Stars assistant on why current generation of players need more praise

Harambee Stars goalkeeper trainer Moeneeb Josephs during training at Ulinzi Complex. Photo/FKF Media

Benni McCarthy’s Harambee Stars assistant on why current generation of players need more praise

Joel Omotto 08:00 - 03.04.2025

Harambee Stars goalkeeper trainer Moeneeb Josephs has explained why he feels it is important to give a lot of praise to the current generation of footballers.

Harambee Stars goalkeeper trainer Moeneeb Josephs has weighed in on the criticism former footballers face when they praise the current generation of players.

Ex-footballers, who work as pundits, have been claimed to be ‘hyping’ budding players who burst onto the scene with remarkable talents with the accusation being that they will make the youngsters lose focus, thinking they are already stars when they are just getting started.

However, Josephs, who is part Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy’s all-South African backroom staff, feels the current generation of players need a lot of praise since they are self-conscious and any bad word can easily break them even before their careers take off.

“If we speak something positive about the players, they say; ‘no, you are hyping the players’,” Josephs said on South African football podcast SoccerBeat.

“Keep your Gen Z comments and your Gen Z words to yourself. We are former footballers who can see what talent is and this is what we are doing, we are giving credit where it is due.

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“We are not feeling envious when we see a star for the future because most players or former players do that. Our hearts are open because we want to see these players succeed.”

The former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper feels the current players should be praised even more since what is seen as hyping is actually what fuels them to become great.

“Too many of the generation of players today are very self-conscious, very self-worried and any criticism in the wrong direction breaks them. So, while we can constructively criticise them, why can’t we also speak good about them?” he posed.

“Say the right things because we understand the type of generation and type of player we are speaking about in today’s world. He needs that little bit of credit, that is what drives him and he thrives on.”

Josephs was commenting about his former team Orlando Pirates who secured a massive first leg advantage in the CAF Champions League quarter-final in Algeria on Tuesday, when they won 1-0 away to MC Alger.

The former goalkeeper was impressed by Pirates youngsters Mbekelezi Mbokazi (19) and 20-year-old wingers Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota.

Mbokazi put in an impressive performance in defence while Mofokeng provided the assist for Nkota to score the only goal of the game.