BAFANA COACH TO CHASE BENNI

South Africa’s new coach Carlos Alberto Parreira says he is confident he can persuade the country’s top striker Benni McCarthy to make a comeback to international football.
The Brazilian, who is set to make his debut in charge of the South African side when they play Chad in a MTN Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Ndjamena on Saturday, says he intends making contact with the Blackburn Rovers forward in bid to persuade him out of a self-imposed exile from the team.
“I will be in touch with him and soon he will be with us,” he told reporters in Johannesburg.
McCarthy, 29, told the South African Football Association last year he no longer wanted to be considered for the South African side after his move to English club Blackburn Rovers.
McCarthy said he wanted to concentrate on his premier league career after belatedly achieving a long-standing ambition of playing in the English league.
His goal scoring form at Blackburn, where he netted 18 times this season, has led to persistent enquiries over a quick return to the South Africa side, for which he last played at the 2006 MTN Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt.
“When I talk to him I’m sure he’ll be willing to be with us as we need him so much. He is the best striker we have,” said Parreira, who has been handed the task of building a side for South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup finals.
McCarthy is not in the squad for the Group11 game, which follows a win and a draw for South Africa in their two previous MTN Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
McCarthy has scored 28 goals for South Africa in 65 appearances, just one goal short of the country’s all-time goal scoring record.