McCarthy wants to return ‘home’ by becoming Blackburn’s new manager.

Former Blackburn Rovers F.C. striker Benni McCarthy has revealed that he would jump at the opportunity to become the club’s next head coach, admitting he would return to Ewood Park “in a heartbeat” if the chance ever arrived.

McCarthy, now 48 years old, enjoyed a memorable spell as a player with Blackburn between 2006 and 2010, scoring 52 goals in 140 appearances during his time in Lancashire. The former South Africa international remains a hugely popular figure among Rovers supporters and clearly still feels a deep emotional connection with the club.

Benni McCarthy tells BBC Radio Lancashire he would return to Blackburn “in a heartbeat”

The ex-striker is currently managing the Kenya national football team after taking over the role in March 2025, but he admitted that Blackburn continues to occupy a special place in his heart and insisted he would gladly return if approached in the future.

Blackburn Continue Search for Permanent Head Coach

Blackburn are currently looking for a new permanent manager after Michael O’Neill opted not to remain in charge full-time.

O’Neill stepped in on an interim basis during February following the departure of Valérien Ismaël and successfully guided the club to Championship safety during the 2025-26 season.

Despite stabilising the team and ensuring Blackburn avoided relegation trouble, the Northern Ireland manager ultimately decided against taking the position permanently because he wanted to remain committed to his international role with Northern Ireland national football team.

As a result, Blackburn’s hierarchy are now in the process of identifying a new head coach to lead the club into next season.

With the vacancy still open, McCarthy has now openly expressed his desire to return to the club where he spent some of the happiest years of his playing career.

McCarthy Says Blackburn Means Everything to Him

Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, McCarthy made it clear how strongly he still feels about Blackburn and the desire he has to see the club succeed again.

“I love Blackburn Rovers and I would put my life down that I would want that club to succeed so bad, to get them in the Premier League,” he said.

The former striker suggested Blackburn may benefit from taking a different approach when choosing their next manager instead of continually turning to more experienced and established candidates.

“And maybe that’s what they need instead of always going for the tried and tested?” McCarthy added.

Benni McCarthy worked alongside Cristiano Ronaldo while part of the Manchester United coaching staff

Although he acknowledged that the final decision ultimately rests with the club’s leadership, the South African made it clear he would immediately accept the opportunity if contacted.

“The decision-makers are always there to make those hard decisions but if one day that call comes, I would be there in a heartbeat,” he explained.

Coaching Journey Since Retirement

Since retiring from professional football in 2013, McCarthy has steadily built coaching experience across several different roles and countries.

His first step into coaching came in Scotland, where he joined the backroom staff at Hibernian F.C..

After gaining experience there, McCarthy returned to South Africa and moved into management, taking charge of Cape Town City F.C. before later managing AmaZulu F.C..

The former striker’s coaching profile then rose significantly when he joined Manchester United F.C. as first-team striker coach between 2022 and 2024.

During his time at Old Trafford, McCarthy worked closely with several top-level players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, and gained experience within one of the biggest football clubs in the world.

Following his spell at Manchester United, McCarthy eventually accepted the role with Kenya’s national team and has remained in charge since March 2025.

Blackburn Described as His True Home

Despite his experiences across Europe and Africa, McCarthy admitted there are only a handful of clubs that hold truly special meaning for him personally.

The former striker explained that FC Porto will always remain important because of the success he achieved there both individually and collectively.

“Porto always has a special place because of my achievements as an individual, as a team,” he said.

McCarthy also highlighted the significance of AFC Ajax, the club that first brought him to Europe and helped launch his professional career.

“Ajax Amsterdam, a special place because it was my first club that took me from Africa and gave me the platform to be in Europe,” he explained.

However, despite his affection for those clubs, McCarthy insisted Blackburn remains the place where he truly felt at home.

“But Blackburn Rovers is where I was at home,” he said.

“That is where my family is and there’s nothing greater than that.”

The emotional connection he feels with the club was clear throughout his interview as he described how much he still cares about Blackburn’s future.

“There’s not a single thing that I wouldn’t want to do to see that club succeed again,” he added.

McCarthy Would “Lay His Life on the Line”

McCarthy went even further when describing how much the club means to him.

The South African stated that if he ever had the opportunity to manage Blackburn, he would dedicate absolutely everything to helping the club succeed again.

“And if you have an opportunity one day to work there, I would lay my life on the line for that football club,” he declared.

Those comments reflected both his emotional attachment to Blackburn and the confidence he has in his ability to help the club move forward.

Although McCarthy understands there may be concerns regarding his lack of Championship managerial experience, he believes clubs sometimes need to take bold decisions rather than relying solely on established names.

McCarthy Calls for Blackburn to Take a Risk

The former striker openly admitted that he remains relatively inexperienced compared to many of the other coaches who could potentially be considered for the Blackburn job.

“I understand I’m a young manager, very fresh, new in this game,” he said.

However, McCarthy argued that football clubs regularly take chances on talented young players, even when they lack experience, and believes the same principle should apply to coaches.

“But then I look at it as playing football. Sometimes when you have a young player that’s talented, that’s good enough, are you going to take a risk?” he explained.

To support his argument, McCarthy pointed toward the rapid managerial rise of Vincent Kompany.

Vincent Kompany Used as Example

McCarthy referenced Kompany’s successful spell at Burnley F.C. as evidence that inexperienced coaches can thrive when clubs show belief in them.

“Vincent Kompany, they’ve given him a chance and look what he’s done,” McCarthy said.

The South African praised Kompany for leading Burnley back to the Premier League in dominant fashion during what he described as one of the best Championship seasons he had witnessed.

“He brought Burnley to the Premier League with an unbelievable season, probably one of the best Championship seasons that I’ve seen a team have,” he explained.

McCarthy also highlighted Kompany’s subsequent move to FC Bayern Munich and the positive work he has continued to do there.

“Then he’s gone to Bayern Munich and you see how he’s doing,” he added.

According to McCarthy, Kompany’s success demonstrates what can happen when clubs trust younger coaches with fresh ideas and ambition.

“Very inexperienced coach but when people believe in young people, they can exceed their expectations,” he said.

“Tried and Tested” Does Not Always Work

McCarthy also questioned whether relying on experienced managers always guarantees success.

“So I think sometimes going for the tried and tested doesn’t always work, the experience doesn’t always get you over the line,” he argued.

The former Blackburn striker acknowledged that club executives face enormous pressure when making managerial appointments, especially when considering less proven candidates.

He admitted that Blackburn’s board would likely face criticism from supporters and the media if they appointed a younger coach who ultimately failed.

McCarthy Understands Blackburn Board’s Concerns

McCarthy said he fully understands the difficult position Blackburn’s decision-makers find themselves in during the recruitment process.

“I understand from the Blackburn board’s point of view that if they take a risk on a younger coach and it doesn’t pay off, then they get scrutinised by the fans,” he explained.

The South African added that criticism would not only come from supporters but also from the wider football media.

“They get scrutinised in the media for taking a risk on a coach who’s never really coached in the Championship,” he said.

Despite recognising those concerns, McCarthy still believes ambitious clubs sometimes need to show courage and think differently when selecting managers.

“But sometimes the reward is far greater than the risk,” he concluded.

Emotional Return Could Appeal to Blackburn Supporters

With Blackburn continuing their search for a new head coach, McCarthy’s passionate comments are likely to resonate strongly with many supporters.

The former striker remains one of the club’s most fondly remembered modern-era players, and his deep affection for Blackburn was unmistakable throughout his interview.

Although questions may remain about his managerial experience at Championship level, McCarthy’s enthusiasm, ambition, and emotional attachment to the club could still make him an intriguing option.

For now, Blackburn’s hierarchy continue weighing up their next appointment, but McCarthy has made one thing absolutely clear — if the opportunity ever arrives, he would return to Ewood Park without hesitation.