Benni McCarthy’s flying visit to his home in Scotland

Benni McCarthy could miss the opening match of the new season for Cape Town City because he is flying back to his home in Scotland to be present for the birth of his fifth child.

After four daughters‚ South Africans will be delighted to know a little boy is due to be born next week. And if he is a chip off the old block‚ then Bafana Bafana could be set for a boom time some two decades from now.

The baby is due any day with the plan being for McCarthy to be back on the training ground with his players towards the end of next week‚ just before they head off to Polokwane to face Baroka FC in their opening game of the season on  August 3.

McCarthy is confident he will be back in time but there is previous precedent of him racing against the clock when his daughter Lima Rose was born in 2012.

At that time McCarthy was on the books of Orlando Pirates but given time to go to Scotland‚ where he and wife Stacey have a home in Edinburgh‚ for the birth of their first child.

He flew there between matches but the baby delayed its arrival for several days‚ putting McCarthy into a panic. Eventually‚ Lima Rose arrived just hours before McCarthy was scheduled to head back to duty with the Buccaneers.

McCarthy also has three Spanish-born girls from his first marriage.