Benni McCarthy Given Harambee Stars Warning - 'Time is Running Out'

Warning bells are already beginning to sound for Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy even though he is yet to finish his first year in the job.

McCarthy has been Harambee Stars coach since March 2025 with mixed results during his tenure as Kenya have played 15 matches, winning six, drawing three and losing six during his time in charge.

In competitive matches, the tactician has five wins, two draws and four losses in 11 matches but it is his latest defeat that has left a bitter taste in the mouths of fans.

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Kenyans are still reeling from the mauling that Harambee Stars were subjected to by Senegal, who thrashed them 8-0 on Tuesday, in what was one of their worst results in history.

The tactician opted to field a relatively young team against the star-studded Teranga Lions as he looks at different players with an eye on the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations but he is already facing questions from some observers.

Former Harambee Stars defender Sammy Omollo is among those who are worried that the South African might not oversee his project to conclusion if results do not change quickly as he feels Kenyans must start getting impatient and put a lot of pressure on the coach.

“Coaches will only go when they don’t post good results, and I’m really worried about what will happen next,” Omollo said during an interview with South African outlet FARPost.

“I don’t know if we will be patient with our coach. Kenya, being Kenya, we are not patient with coaches. We always want instant results.”

The former Tusker, Gor Mahia, Posta Rangers and now APs Bomet coach feels McCarthy is best served sticking to the tried and tested instead of trying out many players as he might not have the time to build a strong team for AFCON 2027.

“I don’t think Benni is to blame for that [Senegal loss] result. I was surprised that he was not aware of the friendly. So was he prepared well for the friendly? That is a question we have to ask,” Omollo posed, pointing to the admission by McCarthy’s assistant Vasili Manousakis that the coaching team was surprised to land a friendly with Senegal.

“Benni should get his team by now because time is running out. If we have these kinds of results, pressure will be on him.”

McCarthy has up to March 2026 to assemble a team for another round of friendly matches and he will be under pressure to right the wrongs of the Senegal loss at that time.