McCarthy Makes Huge Kenya Admission: “I Have To Beg Players To Join ‘Sinking Ship'”
Benni McCarthy didn’t hold back. He laid it all bare about his situation as the head coach of the Kenyan national team, known as Harambee Stars.
Speaking ahead of Kenya’s AFCON 2027 qualifier against Eritrea, the Harambee Stars coach dropped a brutal admission. Kenyan football, he says, is in chaos.
“Whatever is happening in Kenyan football makes my job just almost even more difficult,” McCarthy said. He pointed to what’s going on behind the scenes. He pointed to how operations are being run. The result? Players don’t want in.
“Players don’t want to come to a sinking ship, basically,” he admitted.
So what does McCarthy have to do? Beg. Literally.
“I have to do a lot of convincing,” he said. “I have to put my ego aside. To go on my knees and beg players to come and play.”
Why go to such lengths? Because the alternative is worse.
“If you want to compete, if you want to not get another eight from Senegal, then you need the best players,” he explained. “That’s the simplicity of the matter.”
The comments land amid real turmoil at FKF. Unpaid allowances. Work-permit issues for staff. Administrative dysfunction at every turn. Foreign-based and dual-nationality players, including Zak Vyner, have proven hard to recruit as a result.
McCarthy’s message is blunt. Fix the chaos. Or keep losing talent. There’s no middle ground.
McCarthy Makes Huge Kenya Admission: “I Have To Beg Players To Join ‘Sinking Ship'”
Benni McCarthy didn’t hold back. He laid it all bare about his situation as the head coach of the Kenyan national team, known as Harambee Stars.
Speaking ahead of Kenya’s AFCON 2027 qualifier against Eritrea, the Harambee Stars coach dropped a brutal admission. Kenyan football, he says, is in chaos.
“Whatever is happening in Kenyan football makes my job just almost even more difficult,” McCarthy said. He pointed to what’s going on behind the scenes. He pointed to how operations are being run. The result? Players don’t want in.
“Players don’t want to come to a sinking ship, basically,” he admitted.
So what does McCarthy have to do? Beg. Literally.
“I have to do a lot of convincing,” he said. “I have to put my ego aside. To go on my knees and beg players to come and play.”
Why go to such lengths? Because the alternative is worse.
“If you want to compete, if you want to not get another eight from Senegal, then you need the best players,” he explained. “That’s the simplicity of the matter.”
The comments land amid real turmoil at FKF. Unpaid allowances. Work-permit issues for staff. Administrative dysfunction at every turn. Foreign-based and dual-nationality players, including Zak Vyner, have proven hard to recruit as a result.
McCarthy’s message is blunt. Fix the chaos. Or keep losing talent. There’s no middle ground.