New Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy will begin his Kenyan assignment with 2026 World Cup qualifiers this month but which players risk missing out?
South African legend Benni McCarthy was finally unveiled as the new Harambee Stars coach, beginning a new chapter in his coaching career.
Kenya has decided to go with a coach who understands African football and there is hope that the former Cape Town City and AmaZulu tactician will bring success to the national team.
McCarthy made a number of promises, including a change of playing style, mentality and an emphasis on discipline and due to this, a number of players who had been regulars under former coach Engin Firat, could find themselves on the periphery starting with the 2026 World Cup qualifiers this month.
Anthony Akumu
Anthony ‘Teddy’ Akumu was one of the undroppable players under Firat but his position could come under threat under the new coach who might want to use other players in the defensive midfield role.
Incoming Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy will get to work with the man he had selected as assistant after his current cut ties with him.
So trusted was Akumu to Firat that the Turkish tactician called him up and started him in matches even when he had not played for months at his former Japanese club Sagan Tosu.
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Akumu has since signed for Iranian side Kheybar Khorramabad but after a good start, he has not played in their last nine straight games which puts his spot in the national team in jeopardy.
Aboud Omar
Full-back Aboud Omar was another regular under Firat who could find himself on the periphery not for his performances but disciplinary record.
Omar will hope that McCarthy has not watched a clip of his last match in a Harambee Stars shirt when he was involved in a physical confrontation with the referee during the Mapinduzi Cup in Zanzibar in January this year.
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The defender was sent off over a bad tackle but responded with harsh words towards the match official, who retaliated by punching him, and the player then grabbed the red card from the referee’s hands.
This comes after Omar was kicked out of camp in March 2024 after a brawl with team-mate Eric Johana and given his short fuse, he might not align with the new tactician’s desires.
Patrick Matasi
Goalkeeper Patrick Matasi has received criticism over his errors wth the national team with many calling for his axing from Harambee Stars and could find it tough to play under McCarthy.
Matasi was at fault during the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Cameroon last October before he was dropped from the subsequent matches and a route back into the Harambee Stars fold could prove tough.
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Kenneth Muguna
Kenya Police midfielder Kenneth Muguna was another regular under Firat but could he find himself sidelined under McCarthy?
Muguna is at his best playing a box-to-box role but Firat would use him as the most advanced midfielder on some occasions which did not get out the best in him while it denied Harambee Stars creativity.
With many other options in central midfield, Muguna has a fight on his hands to keep his place, while McCarthy, who wants to play attacking football, will look to get specialist No.10s to add creativity in the side which means increased competition.
Masoud Juma
Striker Masoud Juma joined Iranian club Esteghalal in December 2024 on a six-month deal under South African coach Pitso Mosimane with the hopes of a change in fortunes but he has so far not experienced it.
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Juma has started just three of the 15 games Esteghalal have played since he signed, scoring one goal, and all of them came when Mosimane was in charge but since his departure in late January, the ex-Kariobangi Sharks man has barely played.
In their last seven games, Juma has played a total of 39 minutes being three substitute appearances, and did not make the squad in their last three, which puts his position in the national team at risk given everyone will be starting on a clean slate under McCarthy.