Kenya national men’s football team Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has made it clear that his time in Kenya will be limited to the duration of his current contract.
His contract runs until the conclusion of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) — a tournament Kenya will co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania.
Speaking during a press briefing at the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 tournament in Nairobi, the South African tactician explained that while he is committed to helping Kenya succeed, his long-term ambition lies in club football.
“My ambition is to one day go back to managing club football. That’s what I can’t see myself as a national team coach for 10 years or more, as I would prefer to do this daily. I like training with the players every day, and at the national team, you do not get that. You get that maybe once or twice during the international breaks. That’s not enough, you tend to have so much time on your hands and no one to pass on the knowledge to,” McCarthy said.
“Ten years for me, maybe when I am 70, I can come back and hopefully Kenya might consider me for a longer-term national team role, maybe 10 or 15 years, but for now, I am too young to manage a national team in my whole career. So, I want to go back to club football to work with players everyday, continue teaching and improving players to become better.”
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McCarthy, who took charge of the national team in March 2025, has previously coached AmaZulu and Cape Town City in South Africa and served as an attacking coach at Manchester United.
His appointment was seen as a bold move by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), with hopes that he would lead the team to new heights, including a strong showing at CHAN and the 2027 AFCON.
McCarthy oversees Harambee Stars win and draw
Kenya’s Harambee Stars showcased remarkable determination on Thursday, August 7, 2025, night, battling to a 1-1 draw against Angola in a gripping CHAN 2024 Group A encounter held at the Moi International Sports Centre (MISC) Kasarani in Nairobi.
The hosts were dealt a major blow just 21 minutes into the match when midfielder Marvin Nabwire was sent off following a VAR review that upgraded his initial yellow card to red. Forced to play with ten men for over 70 minutes, Kenya dug deep to secure a crucial point.
Before Nabwire was sent off, Angola struck first in the 7th minute through Jó Paciência, who finished off a slick move involving Beni Jetour with a low shot that briefly silenced the home crowd.
But Kenya responded swiftly. After a VAR check confirmed a foul by Mafuta inside the box, Austin Odhiambo stepped up and calmly converted the penalty in the 12th minute, leveling the score and netting his second goal of the tournament.
Despite being a man down, Kenya held firm. Coach Benni McCarthy adjusted his tactics to absorb Angola’s pressure, relying on disciplined defending and standout goalkeeping from Byrne Omondi. The Kenyan shot-stopper made several key saves, including close-range efforts from Aguinaldo Matias and Paciência in the second half.
Also Read: 10-Man Harambee Stars Hold Angola to 1–1 Draw
Kenya also managed to threaten on the counter. Substitute Chrispine Erambo unleashed a powerful shot late in the game, while Sylvester Owino came close from a corner. Angola thought they had snatched a late winner in stoppage time, but Kaporal’s rebound goal was ruled out for offside after another VAR intervention.
The final whistle sparked celebrations on the Kenyan bench, with the draw keeping the Harambee Stars unbeaten and atop Group A with four points from two matches following the opening fixture win against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Morocco and DR Congo trail with three points each, while Angola sits on one point and must win their next games against DRC and Zambia to stay in contention.
For McCarthy and his squad, the result was a testament to their growing confidence and unity. Kenya now faces Morocco in their second last group fixture, where a positive result could secure a historic spot in the quarterfinals before they meet Zambia in the final group match.
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