Benni McCarthy shrugs off backlash as Kenya struggle in qualifying
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy says criticism from Kenyan fans does not bother him, arguing the public does not know what is happening behind the scenes.
Kenya coach Benni McCarthy says he is not troubled by the criticism coming his way from the Kenyan public, insisting that he has thick skin. The comments were reported by iDiski Times.
McCarthy, 48, was appointed Harambee Stars coach in March 2025. The report says he took the side to the quarter-final stage of the CAN tournament. Their start to qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Group D has been inconsistent, however.
Kenya bottom of Group D
Kenya are co-hosts of the tournament, known as PAMOJA, so they have already qualified automatically. McCarthy wants to use the qualifiers to get his squad ready for the main event.
So far, Kenya have collected only one point from their September qualifiers against Guinea and Eritrea, which leaves them bottom of the group. According to the report, the Eritrea match was marred by player strikes after the players had not been paid for some months. The results prompted criticism of the coach from the Kenyan public.
What McCarthy said
Speaking on SportyTV, the former Bafana Bafana striker said fans mostly see results and do not understand the reasons behind selection decisions. He said some players do not want to play for the national team because of ongoing struggles and disputes, and so remove themselves from contention. That forces him to pick the next-best options available.
McCarthy accepted that criticism comes with a results-driven job and that people ask questions when results are poor. He also said the technical team has not been paid for three months, and that staff keep working on their own initiative regardless. He questioned whether his critics would do the same job without being paid.
He added that he is working for another country rather than his own, and said he is “doing it for free, also”. He described the situation as part of the industry and the current era, and ended on a defiant note: “I’ve got a crocodile skin anyway.”
What it means for South African fans
McCarthy is South African-born and remains a well-known figure among local supporters from his Bafana Bafana career. The claims about unpaid wages come from McCarthy himself in this interview, and the source does not include a response from Kenyan football authorities. Kenya’s next qualifying fixtures will show whether results improve.
This story is based on reporting by iDiski Times.
