Former
South African international striker Benni McCarthy will be
officially unveiled on Monday afternoon as the new Harambee Stars head coach by the Football Kenya
Federation (FKF) at Serena Hotel, Nairobi.
Benni, fondly known as the “Zulu Warrior” in football circles, is expected to sign a two-year deal that will see him stay in charge until 2027 as he starts his era
in the star’s touchline.
The
soft-spoken McCarthy, who arrived in Nairobi on Thursday last week, has a big
reputation and is not only expected to sharpen the Harambe Stars frontline but
ensure fluidity in midfield and also tighten the rare guard.
The
son of the great footballing nation of “Msansi” is expected to bring the
sleeping African giant (Kenya) back to the football map, with his first
assignment less than three weeks away, as Gabon comes calling in the 2026 World Cup qualifier in Nairobi.
He
also has to assemble the local boys for the CAF African Nations Championship
(CHAN) 2025 in August.
The
former Manchester United strikers coach replaces Francis Kimanzi, who took over
temporarily after Engine Firat resigned in December last year.
Unlike
his predecessors, who were assisted by natives on the technical bench, McCarthy is expected to bring his fellow Southerners on the fold.
If
talks in the South Africa media are anything to go by, he will be assisted by
Vasili Manousakis, as Moeneeb Josephs takes over the goalkeepers coach’s
duty.
His
trusted former colleague at Amazulu, Pilela Maposa, will take over performance
analysis duties.
Mc
Carthy 47, played for Ajax, Celta Vigo, Porto, Blackburn, West Ham and Orlando
Pirates.
He
started his coaching career as an assistant at Belgian top side Sint-Truidense
V.V. during the 2015/2026 season and
also had stints at Cape Town City, Amazulu, and Manchester United.
The
historic treble win under the “special one” Jose Mourinho with Porto in 2004 is just among his accolades, having also famously led Amazulu to the CAF
champions’ league group stage in his maiden season as coach, after finishing
runners-up in the South African league in 2021.
The All-time Bafana Bafana top scorer with 31 goals was capped 79 times and was the 1998 Afcon top scorer with seven goals in Burkina Fasso as Bafana Bafana fell to 2-0 to Egypt in the finals.
