AmaZulu head coach Benni McCarthy admits he could not have won the Coach of the Season award without his technical team and players.

The 43-year-old joined Usuthu in December as the successor of former coach Ayanda Dlamini with the club sitting in 12th place, but a club record of 16 games without defeat inspired AmaZulu to their highest-ever finish in the DStv Premiership.

McCarthy walked away with the coveted award after beating Golden Arrows’ Mandla Ncikazi and Mamelodi Sundowns co-coaches Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena to the annual award.

The former Cape Town City coach managed to guide Usuthu to a second-place finish in the DStv Premiership for the first time in the club’s history and also secure their qualification for the Caf Champions League next season.

‘I would like to say thank you very much for voting for me and for having me as the Coach of the Season award. I couldn’t have done it without my technical team, my amazing technical team, their work ethic, their loyalty has given me the freedom to work to the best of my ability,’ McCarthy told the media.

‘As a team we were able to get over the line and make sure the team qualifies in second position for the Caf Champions League, so I am grateful for these guys.

‘But, most importantly, the guys who should be taking all the credit must be the players. The players have been fantastic since I walked through the door, they have given me everything and more and they were able to have the best season – a historical season for AmaZulu.

‘I am thankful for their hard work, their determination, their sacrifices and their willingness to learn to improve and be better.’