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September 16, 2006
McCarthy gets manager backing
Blackburn manager Mark Hughes is backing South Africa's Benni McCarthy to make an impact in the English premiership following a slow start.
The striker scored his first goal for the club on Thursday in their 2-2 away draw to the Austrian side Salzburg in the Uefa Cup.
But he is still trying to find his feet in the league this season following a US$5million move from the Portuguese side Porto in August.
The signs were good in pre-season as McCarthy, in partnership with another new forward in Jason Roberts, found the net on a number of occasions.
Yet in Rovers' four Premiership games to date, McCarthy - like the team in general - has struggled.
Ahead of Sunday's visit of Manchester City, Blackburn are still attempting to recapture the form that led to last season's sixth -placed heroics.
McCarthy has at least scored Rovers' only league goal, that in a 1-1 draw at home to Everton, but with other chances few and far between.
Hughes, though, has every confidence McCarthy will soon start to shine as he said: "It's early days for Benni.
"To be fair with regards to Benni, I feel the expectations are a little too high.
"He has come into a different league, we are only four games in and yet people are expecting him to have a huge impact.
"After scoring goals in pre-season and one in the Premiership, I'm happy with what he is showing at the moment.
"But it will take time, just as it is doing for other big signings at other clubs.
"So I've no worries with regard to Benni McCarthy because he is a quality player, a European Cup winner.
"He'll have an impact at this level and very quickly get stronger as a Premier League player, that's for sure."
Posted by Publisher at September 16, 2006 01:06 PM
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