Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Cape Town City forward Victor Obinna says the respect he has for head coach Benni McCarthy lured him to the South African Premiership and he's enjoyed the stay thus far.
Attracting a footballer at the peak of his powers after 12 years in Europe is no easy feat, but McCarthy used the personal relationship he had with the 46-time capped Nigerian international man to test himself at the ambitious new outfit.
Having shared a dressing room in the 2010/11 season at West Ham United the connection was there but Obinna was mindful of leaving Europe at the age of 30, fearing it would affect his career.
However, the project of the Citizens enticed the former Internazionale man and he admits the standard within the league has improved immensely over the past decade.
"For me, it was important to come to a team that really believes in what it is looking for. City are a new club that only came into place two years ago. The most important person that made it possible for me to come here was McCarthy," he told Cape Times.
"He is someone I respect as a person and I have a good relationship with him. In fact, the club as a whole wanted me to come, and that is the main purpose why I am playing my football at City.
"The PSL is improving, and it has been improving year after year. You can see that in the awareness it has created in players from other countries, even from Europe, who are keen to come over.
"With that, it has improved the quality and it is this aspect that the PSL needs to emphasise more. It is getting to a level now where the competition and the quality of the game are getting higher each year."
Obinna opened his account in South African football in the 2-0 victory over Ajax in the Cape Town derby last month.
Meanwhile, City are currently in KwaZulu-Natal hoping to edge SuperSport United in MTN8 final on Saturday, October 14 at the Moses Mobhida Stadium.
Kick off is at 19:00.
