In a normal world, tea meetings are just light-hearted social gatherings and hardly make the headlines or news. But in South Africa, it’s a completely different story where drama and chaos would soon occur.
The ‘tea-meeting’ phenomenon became popular in South Africa after former president Jacob Zuma invited political firebrand Julius Malema to one in 2021 at the elder statesman’s famous homestead in Nkandla.
The event had media surrounding Zuma’s home and became a huge topic for a few years.
Another tea meeting between Mamelodi Sundowns sporting director Flemming Berg and former Manchester United striker coach and Bafana Bafana’s all-time top goal scorer Benni McCarthy resulted in a big speculation ahead of the 2024/25 Premier Soccer League season.
According to McCarthy, the meeting happened by a fortuity at an airport abroad, which resulted in media reporting he was being courted to replace Rulani Mokwena as Sundowns’ head coach.
The rumours about the delay in finalising a deal to make Manqoba Mngqithi the head coach didn’t help the situation.
Speaking to the media during a Carling Black Label Cup press conference, McCarthy spilt the tea on the meeting with Masandawana’s big boss.
“I like how you put that, we met for tea,” McCarthy said.
“We bumped into each other at the airport, and we recognised each other, and we just spoke in general.
“It was more of the European football chat because I think Flemming just explained his time when he was working for Chelsea as one of the international scouts, based in Portugal,” he said.
“And it was at the same time as when I was playing for Porto. So, we basically just touched and talked about modern-day football, South African football and that was it.”
McCarthy insisted the Sundowns head honcho never mentioned anything about him taking charge at Chloorkop.
“It never came up where there was insinuation from his side or my side that there could be a collaboration of joining the club that he was working for,” the former Orlando Pirates and Blackburn Rovers striker said.
“It was just honest normal chat and that was it because I think the club made the decision with the coaches they have, and they are doing well.
“I don’t think they should go and interfere there just because I’m no longer at a club where (I was at that time) doesn’t make me available to join.”
McCarthy emphasised he’s not in a rush to get a new team and wants his next job to align with his coaching ambitions.
“Like I said, I want a challenge and if it’s the right project for me and it concurs with the same club that is interested, then those are the challenges that I want,” he said.
“I don’t want to just go into any job just for the sake of (that) I want to coach, you know I’m not that desperate.
“I’m enjoying my time with my family. I’m enjoying just going towards different football clubs, visiting and speaking to coaches and expanding my knowledge in coaching and the coach I want to be as football is changing.
“That’s what it was. There was nothing formal about me meeting with any South African club.”
