Benni McCarthy Breaks Silence on Moses Shumah Snub as Ryan Ogam Remains His Trusted Choice

Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has addressed the ongoing debate surrounding national team selection, shedding light on why Amazulu FC forward Moses Shumah continues to miss out on call-ups while doubling down on his unwavering trust in Ryan Ogam.

Despite Moses Shumah’s strong form in the Zambian Super League, which earned him a move to South Africa, Benni McCarthy emphasised that international selection for Kenya goes beyond raw goal statistics, placing high value on commitment, loyalty, and national priority.

Addressing public inquiries regarding player selection, the former UEFA Champions League winner drew a comparison to international football legends to illustrate that credentials and career decisions do not automatically guarantee selection.

Explaining his stance on team dynamics and personal choices, Benni McCarthy stated: "I won the Champions League, but does that make me a better player than Zlatan Ibrahimovic because he didn't win the Champions League?"

Benni McCarthy highlighted the contrast between players who put the national team first and those who prioritised personal club moves ahead of the African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Detailing what he values in players representing Harambee Stars, McCarthy praised Ryan Ogam’s commitment to the national cause.

"Ryan could have easily said, Coach, I had an opportunity to go to Austria. If the Austrian team wants me, they can wait for me after CHAN. My country comes first. Me? Elephant. The memory sticks,” Benni McCarthy said.

“If I want to go to war, I know who's going to jump in front of me to save me, rather than someone else who chooses self-worth more than the country or more than what your team needs of you there."

Reflecting on the bond forged during Kenya's CHAN campaign, Benni McCarthy reaffirmed that loyalty remains the foundational pillar of his team selection criteria.

"And sometimes, yes, I must admit, maybe comes a point where I can forget that. But at this point in time, loyalty over everything. These players that I picked, they were loyal to me. And I've never seen a country so much in love with football as I did in CHAN with Kenya,” Benni McCarthy shared.

“And that is exceptionally hard for me. If I need to, if I must go to jail because I'm illegal, I'll go to jail because of what I saw. The unity that we had during CHAN and what we were able to achieve with the country during that time. And those players were the responsible part. They were the ones that gave up everything to be there. So, yeah."

Concluding his explanation on the hierarchy within Harambee Stars setup, Benni McCarthy stated that his tactical trust remains fully invested in Ryan Ogam when making final squad decisions.

"So when you ask me, you can win the Golden Boot or that, me, I know, with Ryan Ogam, I'm going to win matches. Other players, they need to prove me otherwise. And unfortunately, if I need to make an executive decision, it will always be Ryan Ogam," he said.