McCarthy: I am able to change things in Kenya

Benni McCarthy has disclosed why he chose to accept the position in Kenya rather than maybe going back to South Africa.

Following the expiration of his contract with Manchester United at the end of the 2023–24 season, the Bafana Bafana great had been strongly linked to a move to Kaizer Chiefs.

McCarthy also stated his desire to work in the United States and acknowledged that he had been questioned by three Major Soccer League (MLS) teams that he did not name.

But in the end, the 47-year-old was introduced as the new Harambee Stars head coach, and on March 19, he began his career with a 3-3 draw against Gambia in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match.

The former Cape Town City and AmaZulu coach feels he can alter things in Kenya, and he couldn’t pass up the chance to make the East African nation famous when they co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations alongside Uganda and Tanzania.

It seemed like a fantastic opportunity to me. In an interview with CGTN, McCarthy stated, “It’s a prosperous country with a very ambitious new federation that just came into power.”

The idea they presented to me, I believe, was to assemble a team for the 2027 African Nations Cup (AFCON) hosting season.

Their goal is to become a dominant force in African football and be able to compete. I believed that my squad and I could make a difference because of the excellent opportunity and solid foundation of football talent they had.

We could have a significant influence on how the competition plays out and how far we can take Kenya—someplace they have never been before—and prepare the team for 2027 when they host the Nations Cup. My team and I thought that idea looked promising, which is why we chose Kenya.