Kenya National Team Coach Benni McCarthy Urges Calm Amid Winless Run
The head coach of the Kenya national team, Benni McCarthy, has called for patience and calm as he continues to build a strong team for future assignments. McCarthy’s side, Harambee Stars, has been struggling, managing only a 0-0 draw against Chad in an international friendly match at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco on Saturday, June 7th.
This was the third fixture McCarthy had taken charge of since being appointed on a two-year contract that will run until the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The team’s first Group F fixture was an away game against Gambia, which Harambee Stars produced a thrilling comeback to force a 3-3 draw. However, they returned home to suffer a 2-1 defeat against Gabon at Nyayo Stadium.
McCarthy has come under heavy criticism from a section of fans following the team’s poor start. However, the South African legend insists that he needs time to build a strong team. “I am trying to build the squad for CHAN, these are just preparation games, friendly games, that you try and see players that you have at your disposal,” McCarthy told Flashscore. “Of course, I want to win, but if you don’t know a player, they haven’t played together, and they have only been here for a couple of days, then people expect them to win five, six zero, I think it is not possible.”
McCarthy, who previously worked as the head coach of South African Premier Division team AmaZulu and as assistant coach at Manchester United, continued: “They (players) must get used to each other, they have to feel what it is like to make the jump from playing local football in the Kenyan league to international levels, trying to select the best players that we are going to have in readiness for CHAN, and that is what we are doing. This is experimental, you have to experiment because if you are judged on results, then I don’t need pick all these players, but I pick all those from Europe because that is if I was selfish.”
The Flashscore source quotes McCarthy as saying that he wants to be well prepared for CHAN and have a good squad, so he has to give everybody a chance. “So, that is what people, you guys the media, have to understand, the fans have to understand, Rome wasn’t built in one day, you are not supposed to come here and suddenly make magic, then you have a castle… no,” he said.
McCarthy, who is the South Africa national team’s all-time top scorer with 31 goals and the only South African to have won the UEFA Champions League, doing so with Porto in 2003/04, stressed the importance of building a strong squad for the competition. “So, we are trying to build and I want to see the level of the players, and I want to see which other player I can move forward with when we come to CHAN and that is what it is,” he said.
Revisiting the 0-0 draw against Chad, McCarthy said: “We dominated the game (against Chad), we had 67% of the game, but it is not good enough that you have much possession, and you dominate the game but don’t score the goals.” He also cited the difficult conditions, with the game being played under 42 degrees, as a factor that affected his team’s performance.
Harambee Stars will wind up their back-to-back friendly matches against Chad when the two sides face off at Stade de Marrakech in Morocco on Tuesday, June 10th. According to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), the game, which will kick off at 18.00hrs, will be broadcast live on The Harambee Stars Facebook page and Fanzone TV YouTube channel.
The team’s likely lineup for the match could see Brian Bwire being retained between the sticks, while Daniel Sakari, Aboud Omar, Alphonse Omija, and Brian Mandela will provide cover for the Polokwane City custodian. The midfield could revolve around Alpha Onyango, Brian Musa, and Boniface Muchiri, while William Lenkupae will likely play behind strikers Adam Wilson and Moses Shumah.
As Kenya prepares to co-host the 2024 Africa Nations Championships (CHAN), McCarthy’s side will look to build on their recent performances and make a strong showing in the competition. The team’s recent form has been mixed, with a thrilling 3-3 comeback draw against Gambia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers before losing 2-1 against Gabon. Chad, on the other hand, has suffered two straight defeats, including a humiliating 5-0 defeat against Ghana and a 1-0 loss against Comoros in their matchday six contest at Stade Municipal de Berkane.
The upcoming match against Chad will provide McCarthy with another opportunity to assess his team’s performance and make adjustments ahead of the CHAN competition. With his experience and expertise, McCarthy will look to guide Harambee Stars to a strong finish and make a lasting impact on Kenyan football.
The Kenya national team, Harambee Stars, has a crucial task ahead of them as they aim to make a mark in the 2024 Africa Nations Championships. Their recent friendly matches against Chad have provided valuable insights into the team’s performance, and coach Benni McCarthy will look to build on these experiences as they prepare for the competition.
As per Flashscore, Harambee Stars will look to make a strong showing in the CHAN competition, and their recent performances will provide a crucial foundation for their campaign. With McCarthy’s guidance, the team will look to overcome their challenges and make a lasting impact on the competition.
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