PRETORIA — Benni McCarthy has leapt to the defence of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) strikers, saying the quality of defenders in South Africa has risen dramatically in the past few years.
The league’s sponsors, Absa, have dangled a car as an incentive should the top scorer reach the 26-goal mark, but strikers are finding the going tough this season with Katlego Mphela and Siyabonga Nomvethe the joint top scorers on 10 goals each.
The lack of goalscoring prowess was clearly evident on Tuesday night as the top-of-the-table clash between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns finished goalless.
However, Buccaneers ace McCarthy, who has scored seven goals in the PSL this term, said critics were turning a blind eye to the good work done in defence.
“To be fair when I came back to South Africa and I heard the top scorer last season only scored 15 goals. I was fascinated, but I have realised now that the defenders are 100 times better than they were five years ago,” he told Football365.com. “Tactically they are much better, much stronger and quicker, so now you can’t leave the defenders behind, and they leave you behind if you are not careful.
“Defensively our league is better and teams are more organised, so it makes it extremely difficult for strikers to score goals and that’s why the top goalscorer is on 10 goals,” he argues.
Bafana Bafana’s all-time record goalscorer with 31, added: “It is very difficult to break down defences now. So if strikers can’t score goals it is not because we are useless and weak, but it is because the opposition defences are organised.”
Last season’s top marksman was Knowledge Musona, who finished the campaign at Kaizer Chiefs with 15 league goals, and the closest a striker has come to 26 goals was during 2004-2005 when Zambia’s Collins Mbesuma scored 25. — Football365.com
