Benni McCarthy: Critics Who Say Kenya Has No Football Talent Were Just Not Doing Their Job

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has strongly criticised Engin Firat and other sceptics who have claimed that Kenya lacks football talent, insisting that such opinions overlook the potential and skill present in the country’s players.

Former Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat constantly criticised Kenyan football, and in a previous interview with Russian publication SE, he said that Kenya is a country where people knew little about football and, as a result, did not show enough respect for the sport.

He added that when they won the Asian Championships in Qatar, it went largely unnoticed, and suggested that even if they beat Russia, it would receive little attention because Kenya was not considered a football country.

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He contrasted his comments with neighbouring countries, saying that in such places, a monument would likely be erected in the city centre to celebrate a victory over Russia.

“Kenya is a country where they don’t know anything about football, so in that sense, they don’t respect it enough. We won against the Asian Championships in Qatar and no one cared,” Engin Firat said at the time.

“If we beat Russia, no one would care either, because Kenya is not a football country. In any neighbouring country, they would erect a monument to me in the city centre for the victory over Russia.”

However, Benni McCarthy holds a very different view regarding football talent in Kenya, noting that Engin Firat and others who doubted the country’s potential had underestimated the work involved.

The Harambee Stars coach emphasised that he believes in giving players the freedom to make decisions on the pitch rather than micromanaging every action.

Benni McCarthy explained that while he provides instructions and guidance, he does not feel the need to monitor every single move, allowing players to take ownership of their game.

“Whoever said that there was no talent was either smoking on something or they just didn’t do their job accordingly, because Kenya is full of talent,” Benni McCarthy said in an interview shared by KBC journalist Caren Kibet on Instagram.

“Giving the players the power to think for themselves and not to be micromanaged by coaches, telling them exactly what to do, how to do and when to do it.

“So, you give them the instructions, you guide them, and you let them go out and be players and search and find ways to be better from what you explained.”

Benni McCarthy said that empowering the players has been the most important aspect of his coaching philosophy.

The former Manchester United attacking coach explained that when the players fully understand the guidance and advice given by him and the rest of the coaching staff, they begin to see their own potential and capabilities.

This, he added, helps them build confidence, allowing them to believe that they can compete with, and even defeat, any opponent on the field.

By fostering this sense of self-belief, Benni McCarthy emphasised that the team can perform at its best and rise to challenges without hesitation.

“Empowering the players is the biggest thing I would say, now when they see what I say or the coaches say, how good they can become, and they actually go out there believing that they can beat anybody and compete against anybody,” he added.

Harambee Stars will take on the Ivory Coast on Tuesday, October 14, in their final World Cup qualifier, with coach Benni McCarthy expressing confidence that the team can make an impact thanks to the skills and guidance he has instilled in the players.