Benni Lifts Lid On Reasons Behind Kenya Move
Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy has revealed the reasons behind his audacious decision to take the Kenya national team head coach job as he was officially announced as the new man in charge at an event in Nairobi on Monday.
The former Orlando Pirates striker penned a two-year deal with the Harambee Stars alongside his technical team comprising of South African contingents including ex-Bucs shot-stopper Moneeb Josephs, who’s set to be the goalkeeper coach.
Additionally, McCarthy lured his trusted assistant coaches, Vasili Manousakis and Pilela Maposa, who will serve as the team’s performance analyst. The duo was roped in from Cape Town Spurs and AmaZulu respectively.
The ex-Manchester United first-team striker’s coach says he had multiple job opportunities before accepting the offer to lead the East African nation, revealing that most of the approaches were from MLS clubs.
“I won’t say [I was in] demand, but I did have a few job interviews where you go with other coaches and mostly was with MLS clubs in the United States. And then this [Kenya job offer] came back,” McCarthy told FKF TV.
On his appointment, McCarthy highlighted a few factors that encouraged his decision to take the job, stating that Kenya is a sleeping giant in African football with an influx of quality upcoming players to take the nation to greater heights.
“I think it’s a sleeping giant in my eyes; I look at the project and it’s a country that has a lot of potential. They have some really good talented players that play abroad all over Europe, so if you have the right mindset and mentality, you can do something special with the team,” the 47-year-old tactician added.
“But also, [I got interested] when I spoke to the federation, deputy president [McDonald] Mariga and my agent when I told him they [FKF] are very interested. And it’s always nice to know that in your everyday life you go out to convince people why you’re a good coach and the right man for the job.”
Furthermore, the South African national team all-time top goal scorer says the respect the Football Kenya Federation showed him is one of the biggest reasons why he got attracted to the Kenyan project to transform the country’s football.
“And with Kenya, it was an opportunity where there was a lot of respect from the federation side, president Hussein [Mohammed] and deputy president McDonald Mariga. Their conversations with me were that they have a lot of respect and admiration for me,” he continued.
“They think my mentality, my mindset and my story – coming from Africa moving to Europe at such a young age to survive and flourish under those circumstances is a story that Kenyans can take [something] from then even take it one notch further.
“So, they felt I had all the equipment, the right ammunition to help take Kenya forward and when you hear people talk about you in that way, they make you want to put your name together with theirs and share the same passion and then just go out and do [your best].”
McCarthy concluded: “So, I just thought it’s a perfect opportunity because it’s not just a chance for me to become a coach but to become a national team coach and hopefully achieve something that no other coach has ever achieved for this national team.”
