A member of Benni McCarthy's technical staff in the Kenyan national team has revealed what has surprised the South African tactician the most ahead of his first match.
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The Capetonian will lead a team out for the first time in several years as the Harambee Stars resume their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign this week. The former striker was appointed as the head coach of the East African nation earlier this month, his first job since leaving his Manchester United assistant coaching role at the end of last season.
His first match as Kenya boss will be against Gambia, and leading up to the qualification match for the global spectacle, it is said that McCarthy has been pleasantly surprised with the players at his disposal. This is according to recently appointed Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Director of Football, Francis Kimanzi.
Kimanzi was in charge of the national team on an interim basis before the former FC Porto and Ajax Amsterdam striker was appointed. He has helped McCarthy acclimate to his new role, and he says that the South African has been taken aback by how good the players actually are.
"I have been with coach Benni McCarthy during the Harambee Stars camp, helping him get to know the players, and he is very much impressed with how they have presented themselves," Kimanzi stated.
"Surprisingly, he told me that the quality was not as he had expected or been told—it is even higher than he thought, which is a very big plus for us."
Kimanzi has said that he was particularly impressed by players playing in the Kenyan Premier League, and while only five of them made the final 23-man squad set to face Gambia and Gabon, it is believed that their new boss appreciates the qualities the local players have.
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"And I say congratulations to the local coaches because this means they are doing a good job, as the majority of the provisional squad consisted of local players. McCarthy was impressed with their quality and attitude as the squad continues preparations," Kimanzi added.
