Benni McCarthy on Why He 'Punishes' Losing Teams During Harambee Stars Training Sessions

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has made it clear: winning starts in training.

Known for his relentless pursuit of excellence stemming back to his playing days, McCarthy has introduced a no-nonsense policy during Harambee Stars' training sessions, where losing sides face immediate consequences—even during in-house practice matches.

Responding to a question by Pulse Sports’ Mark Kinyanjui at Nyayo National Stadium on Wednesday, the South African tactician explained that the idea is to ingrain a winning mentality in the squad ahead of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), which will be held in Kenya.

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“You know, if you’re going to get punished, you want to win so that you don’t get punished,” McCarthy said. “It’s all about creating a winning mentality, a winning team, and a winning spirit.”

According to McCarthy, training intensity must match match-day standards.

“When you train, you train to win, because what you do in training is exactly what you'll do in a match. I try to make players understand that every single training session should be taken as seriously as a game,” he added.

Vice captain Bonface Muchiri, who plays under McCarthy both at club and national level, echoed the coach’s philosophy during an interview with Tata Sports.

“McCarthy’s mentality is to instill a winning mindset into the players,” Muchiri said. “The goal is for the players to do whatever it takes to win. In every training session, if you lose, there’s a punishment.”

“That shows we are not here to play for fun or to show off, we are here for business. And business means putting the ball in the back of the net so we can win. We must do that.”

McCarthy, who previously worked as a forwards coach at Manchester United, believes the extra edge in training builds match-day sharpness and accountability.

“When match day comes, you step onto that pitch because you want to win. You’re going to give everything,” he noted.

“So I expect my training sessions to have the same intensity, mindset, and mentality as a real game. If you lose, there’s capital punishment and believe me, once you experience it, you won’t want to go through it again.”

Still, he insists it’s not all drill-sergeant style.

“It’s not all harsh. We joke and laugh after the punishment is done. But the players are starting to understand now. Training is more intense and more competitive because no one wants to lose. And that’s exactly what you want as a coach.”

Harambee Stars were initially scheduled to participate in the CECAFA Four Nations tournament in Arusha, Tanzania, facing Uganda, Senegal, and hosts Tanzania. However, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) withdrew the team, citing unfavorable conditions.

Instead, the team is now focused on internal training matches as they prepare for CHAN 2024 where McCarthy’s high standards will be key to success on home soil.