South African footballing legend Benni McCarthy is reportedly set to become the new head coach of the Kenyan National Team.
The 47-year-old, who recently left his role as strikers’ coach at Manchester United, is expected to be unveiled in early January alongside his technical team.
This move comes after former coach Engin Firat stepped down following Kenya’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The newly elected Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president, Hussein Mohammed, and his team believe McCarthy has the potential to lead the Harambee Stars to success.
While this will be McCarthy’s first foray into national team management, his experience as a player and coach is undeniable.
A source within the FKF highlighted McCarthy’s ability and potential, emphasizing the need for support to help him succeed. They also confirmed to GOAL that Francis Kimanzi will serve as the team’s Technical Director.
McCarthy’s immediate challenge will be to rebuild a competitive squad for CHAN 2024 which Kenya will co-host and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Gambia and Gabon.
Kenya currently sits in Group F of the World Cup qualifiers, with five points from four games. McCarthy will need to navigate a group that includes powerhouses like Ivory Coast alongside Gabon, Gambia, Seychelles, and Burundi.
