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Cape Town - Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt reckons emerging talent Phakamani Mahlambi has more potential than all-time Bafana Bafana top-scorer Benni McCarthy.
Hunt worked with McCarthy as a 17-year-old during their time together at Seven Stars in 1995, and the South African striker went on to play for Ajax, FC Porto and Blackburn Rovers.
Mahlambi was promoted to the first-team setup by Hunt this term and the teenager impressed against Orlando Pirates as the Clever Boys came away with a 1-0 win.
The three-time Premiership winning coach is so in awe of the 17-year-old that he rates him better than McCarthy at the same age, and believes Mahlambi should move abroad sooner rather than later before his talent goes to waste.
"We had young Phakamani [Mahlambi] up-front, and he's extremely quick – I've never seen a player so quick in a long time," Hunt said in his post-match interview.
"I hate making comparisons, but I had Benni [McCarthy] at 17... this boy is better, I'm telling you."
He added: "The right thing for him now is to get out [of the country]; we need to get him in somewhere [abroad]. I haven't seen a talent like this.
"He can beat people inside a phone booth, he's that good in one-on-one. I've seen Teenage Dladla – I played against Teenage – and I'm still looking for him.
"This boy can beat people in small areas, which we saw [against Pirates]. The pitch was long and heavy but on a quicker pitch he's got unbelievable ability.
"He can score, well he should have scored [the one-on-one opportunity], but he can really score."
