Cape Town - Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy says he wants to hammer Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt every time the teams face each other as a sign of respect to his former mentor. 

The Citizens made it four wins in a row against the Clever Boys in 2017/18 after Wednesday's Nedbank Cup last-32 victory in Johannesburg. 

Hunt and McCarthy have a long relationship stretching back to when the retired Bafana Bafana star made his professional debut for Seven Stars in 1995. 

As such, City's boss says he shows respect to the man who gave him his chance in the pro ranks by trying to give him a hiding when the two clubs meet. 

He said: "It's not a hoodoo thing or getting something over ‘Coachie’ (Hunt). He's most admired by me because he was my first coach. He was the guy who really believed in me. 

"As a 17-year-old kid he could have said what all the other coaches said – ‘You’re too young‚ you’re too skinny. Your time will come – wait until you’re 25 and then you’ll be young enough to get the chance’. 

“He threw me in at the deep end‚ knowing what I was capable of. And he forced the club to let me go to Europe‚ and not sign for the ‘big three’ in South Africa. So of course I have to respect him. He gave me a life in football. 

“So now‚ as a newly-formed coach‚ meeting somebody that I look up to‚ as much as I’ve got my own philosophy‚ I want to follow in those footsteps. 

"So what motivates me is to whip him every time I come up against him. And that's how I repay him my respect. Because if I was to lose what respect am I going to get then?"