Benni McCarthy, coach of Kenya reacts during FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2026 match between Kenya and Gabon at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya on 23 March 2025 ©Kelly Ayoudi/BackpagePix
Sunday May 11, 2025. 15:00
Benni McCarthy has revealed the reason behind his decision to take on the Kenya job over a potential return to South Africa.
The Bafana Bafana legend had been heavily linked with a move to Kaizer Chiefs after his contract with Manchester United expired at the end of the 2023-24 season.
McCarthy also confirmed that he’d been interviewed by three unnamed Major Soccer League (MLS) clubs as he expressed ambitions of working in the United States.
However, the 47-year-old was ultimately unveiled as the new Harambee Stars head coach and kicked off his tenure with a 3-3 draw against Gambia in a 2026 World Cup qualifier on March 19.
McCarthy felt the opportunity to put the East African country on the map when they co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Uganda and Tanzania was too good to turn down, and the former Cape Town City and AmaZulu coach believes he can make a change in Kenya.
“I thought it was a great opportunity. It’s a prosperous country with a very ambitious new federation that just came into power,” McCarthy said in an interview with CGTN.
“I think the project they sold me was that they want to build a team from now up until 2027, when they host the African Nations Cup (AFCON).
“They want to be able to compete and establish a strong foothold in African football. I thought the opportunity and the foundation of football players they had were really good, and that my team and I could make a change.
“We could get the team ready for 2027 when they host the Nations Cup, and we could have a strong say in how the tournament unfolds and how far we can take Kenya – somewhere they’ve never been before. That looked like a decent project for my team and me, and that’s why Kenya.”
