The former Kenyan international has given reasons why he feels the Bafana Bafana legend could have it rough with the Kenya national team.
Former Manchester United attacking coach Benni McCarthy has been widely reported as the man set to be appointed Harambee Stars coach even though Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has stayed mum over the subject.
The potential appointment of McCarthy has been welcomed by a number of Kenyan players past and present but Boniface Ambani is among those looking at it cautiously.
Ambani feels the South African legend will have a tall order in Kenya as he would not be able to hit the ground running when fans will be expecting results given his huge profile.
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The Scot has expressed interest in the Harambee Stars job, citing past success in Kenya and optimism for the future.
“When you talk of Benni McCarthy I personally think it will be a toll order for him because he doesn’t even know a single player from our team,” Ambani told Citizen Digital.
“A foreign coach or a local coach, all depends on what the federation (FKF) wants in terms of the targets and minimums. Should Benni come now, then he will be coming to first of all learn and study our players as opposed to expecting so much from him,” added the former Harambee Stars forward.
The ex-AFC Leopards striker’s sentiments differ with that of former Kenyan forward Elijah Onsika who had urged FKF to bring in McCarthy immediately.
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Former South Africa striker Benni McCarthy has been heavily linked with the Harambee Stars job but is it a ‘done deal’ as has been widely reported?
“McCarthy is a man on demand because of his achievements, both as a player and a coach. FKF must act quickly to secure him, or he might accept another offer and turn down Kenya,” Onsika told Flashscore last week.
“Recently, he was with Manchester United, and you could see how he shaped their strikers. His impact on the team was evident. He was also a talented striker during his playing days, and coming to Kenya, he will help local players develop their skills. He will have the opportunity to work with Michael Olunga and help him grow further.”
McCarthy has not coached at international level yet, having worked at Cape Town City and AmaZulu in his native South Africa, before he joined Premier League side Manchester United in July 2022, working for two years.
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Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy is reported to have agreed to take over as Harambee Stars coach but an ex-Kenyan international has made certain demands before his appointment.
He is, however, respected for the work he did at AmaZulu where he led the club to second place, their best-ever, as well as CAF Champions League group stages.
