According to reports, Benni McCarthy is about to be named the next manager of a national team. After two years on Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff, where he mostly worked with the team’s forwards, the former Blackburn Rovers striker and all-time top goalscorer in South Africa left Manchester United in the summer.
McCarthy was reportedly keen to get back into management, and GOAL reports that, barring any last-minute changes, he will now take over as Kenya’s national team manager in January. This comes after a time when the 47-year-old regularly criticised his former coworkers on social media, making headlines.
McCarthy’s sole prior managerial experience was in South Africa, where he oversaw AmaZulu and Cape Town City. He now has a chance to make his debut on the global scene, which will give him the chance to prove himself and prove that he is capable of making decisions.
Benni McCarthy Lands International Post
The Bafana Bafana legend has accepted a new challenge back in his home continent
After former tactician Engin Firat resigned after failing to get the Harambee Stars into the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, the post of manager of Kenya’s national team became vacant. The former Manchester United Strikers coach has now been chosen by newly elected Football Kenya Federation President Hussein Mohammed and his office to lead the team.
A senior FKF source told GOAL on Thursday that McCarthy was chosen by the National Executive Council (NEC), led by Vice-President McDonald Mariga, as the person who could help Kenya advance.
We recognise that this will be his first time playing for the national team, but he has the capacity and potential to succeed for us; all he needs is encouragement. Therefore, he and his team will be unveiled in early January, barring any last-minute changes, which are extremely unlikely.
🚨 Benni McCarthy is set to be named the new manager of the Kenya National Team. Barring a "last-minute change", McCarthy will be unveiled in early January. Kenya's next goal will be to try to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. 🇰🇪
📰 @goal https://t.co/pdGIsVmWat pic.twitter.com/7Kyok0G867
— Olt Sports (@oltsport_) December 27, 2024
Benni McCarthy must lead Kenya to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the country was not selected for the 2025 AFCON. The Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Seychelles, and Burundi are in Group F with the Harambee Stars. They have played four games so far, winning one, drawing two, and losing one, earning them five points.
Together with his technical staff, which includes recently hired Technical Director Francis Kimanzi, McCarthy’s main goal is to assemble a strong team that can compete well in the 2027 AFCON, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania. But first, the World Cup is the centre of attention.
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