South African football legend Benni McCarthy is set to be unveiled as the new Harambee Stars head coach.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, a source at the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) confirmed that McCarthy, a former first-team coach at English football giants Manchester United, will be appointed as the new coach by the end of this week, taking over from interim manager Francis Kimanzi.
McCarthy’s appointment has been the subject of speculation for some time, but it now looks set to be finalised at a time when the national team is trying to find some consistency.
The source added that McCarthy is expected to arrive in the country midweek before his unveiling at the end of the week. He is also set to attend the momentous Mashemeji Derby, featuring Kenya’s most successful teams, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, on Sunday.
His appointment comes at a crucial time, with Kenya’s World Cup qualifiers against Gabon and Gambia just around the corner. Once officially appointed, McCarthy will begin preparations for the high-stakes clashes.
Earlier this year, FKF President Hussein Mohammed reassured fans that the federation was committed to finding the best candidate for the national team.
"FKF is working to appoint a substantive coach and a competent technical bench to help us achieve our objectives. That’s why the current technical bench was appointed on an interim basis. We will provide an update on the new coach once all the details are finalised," Mohammed stated while speaking to Nation.
The incoming coach will be the first permanent appointment since Turkish national Engin Firat, who endured a tumultuous end to his tenure.
Firat’s departure marked the end of a turbulent three-year tenure with the national team which was marred by consistent criticism, salary delays, and mixed fortunes on the pitch.
McCarthy, a former striker, is Bafana Bafana’s all-time top scorer, netting 31 goals in 74 appearances. McCarthy was famed for his deadly eye for goal and smart movements in the box playing a pivotal role in his country’s 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup tournaments.
Across his career, McCarthy played across several top-flight leagues amongst them the prestigious English Premier League. He also played in Spain’s La Liga and the Dutch Eredivisie.
In his football sojourn, McCarthy plied his trade for Ajax, Celta Vigo, FC Porto, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham and Orlando Pirates in his native South Africa. The striker enjoyed massive success with the pinnacle of his career being lifting the famous Uefa Champions League trophy in 2004 under Jose Mourinho at Porto.
As a coach, McCarthy has served as the head coach at Cape Town City FC and AmaZulu FC in South Africa where he enjoyed relative success.
His most recent job was a high-profile role in the Man Utd first-team coaching setup where he provided his expertise in the attacking department. Serving under former head coach Erik Ten Hag from 2022-2024, McCarthy coached players like Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the greatest ever footballer and helped the team secure the Carabao Cup in the 2022-2023 season.
McCarthy departed after he decided to not renew his contract, citing his desire to become a head coach.
