Harambee Stars: 3 Benni McCarthy Lieutenants Running Out of Time as Road to AFCON 2027 Begins

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has insisted that he will stay true to the players who have been loyal to him but he faces key decisions on some of them in the near future.

McCarthy’s men are preparing for their first 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Eritrea on Saturday and after that, they will take on Guinea on October 1.

Among those in his squad is one unattached player while two, who have been part of the setup before, have missed out owing to lack of clubs.

While it is too early to make conclusions, given their status as free agents allows them to sign for any club any time, the choices they make and when they do it, could have a bearing on their selection for AFCON 2027.

The former Kenya Police forward is part of the current squad despite being unattached, having been released by Tanzanian giants Simba, but he will need to quickly find a new home.

Bajaber’s dream move to Simba did not bear fruit as a spate of successful injurie hindered him from showing his immense talents and the Tanzanian club opted to cut their losses at the end of last season.

Still, McCarthy has kept faith with him but he has to quickly find a club where he will play regularly at the top level to be certain of a place in the AFCON squad, otherwise he risks being overlooked.

The former Gor Mahia playmaker was in the provisional squad but was omitted from the final team by McCarthy.

It is believed that this is due to lack of match sharpness as he is without a club after leaving Lebanese side Nejmeh SC at the end of last season.

Odhiambo returned after the end of his six-month deal with Nejmeh but has yet to find a new club which leaves him behind the rest fitness wise.

Whether he chooses to return abroad or to the Kenyan Premier League, the midfielder has to ensure it is the right move to earn him a recall to the national team and put him in prime position for a spot in the AFCON squad.

Defender Alphonce Omija was one of McCarthy’s soldiers at CHAN 2024 and in subsequent matches, including the last round of matches against Lesotho in June 2026.

However, he was overlooked for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers largely due to his club situation.

Omija recently terminated his deal with Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel owing to a contractual dispute, leaving him with no club as McCarthy was preparing for the upcoming games.

It remains to be seen where he ends up next but with many defenders at McCarthy’s disposal, Omija has a big job to convince the South African coach that he deserves a spot in his team for AFCON 2027.