Carlos Parreira and Benni McCarthy. (Gallo Images)

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Johannesburg - Bafana Bafana striker Benni McCarthy should look for a transfer to a club where he will be guaranteed a regular place in the starting line-up.

That was the advice given to the out of favour Blackburn Rovers striker from Bafana head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira after his charges held Japan to a hard fought 0-0 draw in a friendly international played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday in front of a near capacity 44 000 crowd.

In the build up to the match McCarthy, who turned 32 last Thursday promised the fans he would score if he got a sniff in front of the Japanese goal.

But it was evident that McCarthy's lack of game time for his English Premiership club was hurting his hopes of a successful international comeback after he was dropped by previous national coach Joel Santana prior to June's Confederations Cup.

If McCarthy wants to lead the Bafana attack during next June's World Cup finals he needs to play regularly at club level to get his fitness levels higher and become sharper in front of goal.

The Cape Town born striker is rated as a deadly finisher inside the penalty area but he looked sluggish against the no nonsense Japanese defenders.

Said Parreira: “It is not really my place to give a quality player such as Benni advice. But if I had to then I would advise him to move to another club in the January transfer window where he would be assured of getting regular game time.” McCarthy has been out of favour at Rovers since manager Sam Allardyce took over last season are has been warming the bench for Rovers this season.

McCarthy admitted that he was looking for a new club in January.

He said: “There have been clubs in England and in Europe that have asked if I am available. I was flattered by the quality of these clubs. I have no axe to grind with either the manager (Allardyce) or Rovers. I love both but I need to get away and play at a club where I will be playing every week. I still have a lot to offer at club and Bafana level." Parreira defended McCarthy's sluggish performance against Japan.

He said: “Benni is part of my World Cup plans. But he needs to be sharper. He knows that as well as I do. And playing regularly at club level will see Benni back to his best. But you must also consider this was the first time he had played with Katlego Mphela in attack. It takes time for a strike partnership to develop. We need to give Benni time.

I am confident he will come good and produce the goods for Bafana. The Bafana coach also said that midfielders such as Teko Modise, Siphiwe Tshabalala and Kagisho Dikgacoi suffered as well because they were not fully match fit.

Said Parreira: “Some players have come back from injury others are off-form and need to regain their form and confidence. That was the reason I substituted all three midfielders in the second half and brought on fresh legs to give them a break." Parreira said he was happy with the debut of Belgium based right back Anele Ngcongca and stressed that teenage striker Kermit Erasmus who shone at the recent World Youth Championships in Egypt would get his chance to prove himself.

Erasmus could get a chance to show his potential when Bafana host Jamaica in their last friendly of 2009 at the Free State Stadium on Tuesday night (8.30pm).

Said Parreira: “There are four positions for strikers in my World Cup squad. Nothing is settled yet. I need to test Erasmus and other promising youngsters to see if they are ready for the World Cup.