Former Kenyan international explains why it is necessary for Benni McCarthy to have a local coach as part of his Harambee Stars bench.
Former Kenyan international Elijah Onsika believes that adding a local coach as part of Harambee Stars bench will bear fruits for Benni McCarthy.
Onsika, who handled Kenya’s U19 national team in 2002 during the CECAFA youth tournament in Zanzibar where they reached the quarter-finals, is of the opinion that a Kenyan coach should be seconded to McCarthy’s bench so as to help him understand quickly the local game.
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As reported by Flashscore, Onsika made a rallying call to the Football Kenya Federation saying: “It doesn’t make sense for a Kenyan national team’s technical bench to have only foreign coaches, from the top and to the goalkeeping area, and none from Kenya to add the local touch. It is prudent for FKF to look at this issue once again, and get someone from the local set-up to work under McCarthy.”
Manchester United players congratulated Benni McCarthy on his appointment as Harambee Stars head coach.
McCarthy took over from Francis Kimanzi, who was working on an interim basis assisted by Zedekiah ‘Zico’ Otieno and John Kamau. Under Firat, Harambee Stars had three local coaches – assistants William Muluya and Ken Odhiambo alongside goalkeeper trainer Jerim Onyango.
McCarthy is yet to name his squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifier matches against The Gambia and Gabon and Onsika argues that it is not too late for the FKF to make the decision.
“It is not too late, he (McCarthy) has only been appointed and unveiled, he hasn’t started work, he hasn’t even named his squad for the World Cup qualifiers, so it means that FKF can still second a local coach to the bench before he (McCarthy), gets down to work,” he said.
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In his opinion, Onsika, who played for Harambee Stars in the late 80s and 90s, reiterated that a local coach understands the local league and the Kenyan players.
“A local coach will help McCarthy in many things, he or she understands the local league more, understands Kenyan players even more, and understands expectations from Kenyans on Harambee Stars.”
The South African was officially unveiled on Monday after several months of speculations as a replacement for Firat, who was fired from the role after his failure to take Harambee Stars to the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled for Morocco in 2025.
