Inside McCarthy's main focus areas in Harambee Stars friendlies against Chad
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Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 05.06.25. | 07:40
The two matches will serve as a build-up for the August African Nations Championship (CHAN) that Kenya will co-host alongside Tanzania and Uganda
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has disclosed the two key areas he will train his focus on in the upcoming friendlies against Chad.
Stars are scheduled to face Chad in back-to-back friendlies on Saturday, 7 June and Tuesday, 10 June 2025 in Marrakech, Morocco.
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The two matches will serve as a build-up for the August African Nations Championship (CHAN) that Kenya will co-host alongside Tanzania and Uganda.
In his last media engagement before the team hit the runway on Tuesday, 3 June, McCarthy revealed that he would be using the two matches to assess the new players at the camp.
“The friendlies have come at the right time, as they will allow me to work with the players that I have watched and videos from those whom I did not have the opportunity to watch playing for their clubs,” said the former striker.
Among the new faces the former Ajax forward will be working with are Gor Mahia duo of Sylvester Owino and Alpha Onyango, Bandari pair of David Sakwa and Swaleh Pamba, as well as KCB winger James Kinyanjui.
Further, the former South African international disclosed that the majority of players at the camp will be retained and feature prominently in the CHAN finals.
In the interest of promoting some of the outstanding Rising Stars into the senior team, McCarthy said it was just a matter of time before a handful are thrown into the deep end.
“Now I have the opportunity to put them all together and see how good they can be as a team. When the break and league are over, we will prepare for CHAN, with the core and a base that will allow us to integrate some of the young players that we have seen from the U-20 and FKFPL,” stated McCarthy.
The role of senior players in guiding their juniors is one that the former Manchester United forwards’ coach emphasised heading to the two assignments and the CHAN finals.
“These players will give some guidance and good vibes to the young ones who will come in. I am excited about the talent and bringing players together,” he added.
Final squad
Goalkeepers: Brian Bwire, Faruk Shikalo, Sepstianos Wekesa
Defenders: Brian Mandela, Alphoce Omija, Sylvester Owino, Siraj Mohammed, Abud Omar, Daniel Sakari, Swaleh Pamba, Lewis Bandi
Midfielders: Brian Musa, Alpha Onyango, Austine Odhiambo, Ben Stanley Omondi, Boniface Muchiri, Mohammed Bajaber, William Lenkupae, Adam Wilson, James Kinyanjui, David Sakwa
Forwards: Beja Nyamawi, Moses Shumah, Emmanuel Osoro.
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