AFC Leopards Boss Reveals Benni McCarthy's Mistakes After Tyson Otieno and Co Miss Out on Harambee Stars Squad

AFC Leopards chairman Boniface Ambani has challenged Benni McCarthy over the omission of Tyson Otieno, Moses Shumah and other in-form players from the Harambee Stars squad for the FIFA Series.

Benni McCarthy’s selection has attracted criticism from sections of football stakeholders, who argue that several players in strong club form were overlooked in favour of less active or less consistent performers.

In particular, Moses Shumah's impressive goal-scoring run for Power Dynamos, where he has netted 15 goals, has been cited as a key example of a player many expected to be included in the squad.

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Boniface Ambani has also questioned the exclusion of Tyson Otieno, insisting that his recent performances warranted serious consideration for a place in the national team setup.

Boniface Ambani suggested that Benni McCarthy should dedicate more time to watching domestic league matches in Kenya to improve the accuracy and fairness of his squad selections for the Harambee Stars.

The AFC Leopards chairman implied that a stronger presence in the local football scene would help the Harambee Stars coach better assess in-form players, especially those such as Tyson Otieno who have been performing consistently but were left out of recent call-ups.

Drawing from his own experience as a former Harambee Stars player, Boniface Ambani suggested that selection decisions should be closely aligned with current form and performances in the domestic league, rather than limited exposure or second-hand information.

He further indicated that closer engagement with matches on the ground would reduce the risk of questionable omissions and ensure that deserving players are not overlooked, effectively urging the coach to raise his standards in monitoring and evaluation of talent before making national team decisions.

“To me, (Tyson Otieno), he is coming back. I’ve been in the national team, I’ve played for Kenya in the national team for several years. It trickles down to the coach. I don’t think Benni McCarthy has watched Tyson; he has not seen Tyson. He has not been in this country for a long time, after CHAN, if I’m not wrong, someone please correct me. Again, it’s up to him to decide who is in the national team,” he said in an interview on the Big Sports Africa podcast.

“There might be some shady businesses going on in the national team, and you know I don’t mince my words; I have played for the national team. I have also suffered there, and every time I got a call-up, it was when a foreign coach came in.”

Boniface Ambani further drew comparisons with coaching structures in countries such as England, where national team coaches regularly monitor domestic competitions, and suggested that a similar hands-on approach would help improve player assessment and selection decisions.

Ambani highlighted that the local league features a wide pool of talent across clubs such as Shabana FC, APS Bomet, Kariobangi Sharks, Ulinzi Stars, Posta Rangers and KCB FC, insisting that these players deserve closer evaluation at ground level.

He emphasised that while the coach has full authority over selection decisions, those choices should be informed by direct observation of performances rather than limited exposure, arguing that this would ensure in-form players are not overlooked.

The AFC Leopards chairman also pointed to emerging talents such as Aldrine Kibet, stating that consistent performers should be given opportunities at the international level to showcase their ability and gain valuable experience in competitive fixtures.

“I wish McCarthy could have been in the country to watch more, just like the England coaches. However, it’s okay, he has his team and how he does his thing. My message to McCarthy is to get time to watch all Premier League matches, we have good players from Shabana, APS Bomet, Kariobangi Sharks, Ulinzi Stars and KCB, among other teams,” he added.

“The coach is the one who knows what he wants, and he has to go to the ground and see how he plays. Aldrine Kibet is giving his best, and he needs a chance to play in such matches to showcase what they have.”