Benni McCarthy Opens Up on Kenya’s Chances of Winning the Africa Cup of Nations
- Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy made a candid public admission about Kenya's chances at the Africa Cup of Nations
- McCarthy's comments came after Kenya failed to win in three consecutive matches, including a draw against Eritrea at home
- The South African coach also pointed to off-field issues, including visa problems for his technical staff, as factors affecting the team
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Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has publicly cast doubt over Kenya's ability to win the Africa Cup of Nations, citing a lack of resources and the gulf in quality between Kenya and the continent's elite football nations.
McCarthy made the remarks to the media following a goalless draw in a friendly match against Rwanda, the latest in a run of three games without a victory for the national side. The winless streak, which includes a 1-1 home draw against Eritrea in AFCON qualifying, has intensified scrutiny of the former Bafana Bafana striker's tenure.
McCarthy Honest on Kenya's AFCON Prospects
The South African coach was blunt when asked about Kenya's title ambitions. "Even if you were to pay me millions and millions of dollars to win AFCON, I don't think Kenya has the resources and a strong enough team to compete with Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, Ivory Coast," McCarthy told reporters.
He went further, identifying additional continental rivals as formidable obstacles. "Those are powerhouses, Guinea can also you know [win it] they have fantastic players. Those are the powerhouses in African football. So for us to think that Kenya could win the AFCON, it's not impossible but it's highly likely that we will not make it."
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Off-Field Issues Adding to Kenya's Struggles
Beyond results on the pitch, McCarthy acknowledged that the international break was disrupted by a series of off-field complications. He previously raised concerns about the standard of Kenya's domestic league and flagged an administrative problem preventing him and members of his technical team from obtaining the necessary documentation to remain in the country between assignments.
McCarthy suggested these issues were contributing to Kenya's underperformance, as the coaching staff are unable to maintain a consistent presence on the ground to monitor players and develop the programme between international windows.
The 1-1 draw with Eritrea at home drew particular criticism from Kenyan supporters, with many questioning the team's readiness at this level of competition.
Source: Briefly News
