‘Spain, England Have it!’ - Benni McCarthy on Admirable Quality Harambee Stars Possess Ahead of CHAN 2024

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has been left awestruck by the level of togetherness he saw within his players when they opted out of the CECAFA Four Nations Tournament, comparing it to that of top nations like Spain, Germany, England and France.

The former South Africa international was speaking after Kenya’s controversial withdrawal from the CECAFA Four Nations Tournament in Karatu, Tanzania, where the Harambee Stars were scheduled to face hosts Tanzania before McCarthy made the call to pull the team out due to what he described as “sub-standard training conditions.”

Kenya’s squad, which had been narrowed down to 25 players earlier in the week, had endured disrupted preparations and reportedly went three consecutive days without proper training due to poor pitch conditions and logistical shortcomings.

“I saw something I don’t think I’ve seen before in Kenya,” said McCarthy. “These are the things that countries like Spain, Germany, England, and France have — unity, team spirit, togetherness.”

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The Harambee Stars were among four nations participating in the mini-tournament alongside Tanzania, Uganda, and Senegal, but McCarthy made the decisive call to withdraw the team just hours before their opening match.

“It wasn’t easy — it was difficult — and for the team to come together and say, ‘This is not what we signed up for; we deserve better,’ that showed real character,” he explained.

“They came to speak with me as a group and said, ‘Coach, we need to make a decision.’ And they did — together. When you see that kind of unity, you know even without training, this team can fight. They have each other’s backs, they fight for one another, and they know what they want as a team. I wish the tournament started tomorrow because I know this team is ready for anything.”

McCarthy’s firm stance comes as Kenya prepares to co-host CHAN 2024 alongside Uganda and Tanzania.

 The tournament will exclusively feature players from each country’s domestic leagues, making the Harambee Stars’ cohesion even more critical as they aim to make a deep run on home soil.

Despite criticism from CECAFA over Kenya’s withdrawal, McCarthy stood by his decision, saying the team’s safety and preparation standards had to come first.

“The unity, hunger, and ambition they've shown is second to none. I’m very pleased with the mental strength of this group — they’re in the right place.”