Kenya national team coach Benni McCarthy admitted that Harambee stars will be in the death group during the African Nations Championship Tournament (Chan) which was to start in August, but “we have everything on our way to succeed”.
The nation of Eastern Africa has been drawn in group A of the tournament exclusively reserved for players, which appear in their respective local league, alongside Morocco, Dr Congo, Angola and Zambia.
“It is clear for everyone to see and know that we are in a group of deaths, it is a group impossible to be, but a fantastic challenge for us, you know, to see how we arrived and where we are as a football nation”, “ South African legend said Flashscore.
“It will be a good challenge”, ” McCarthy continued: “Dr. Congo, they won the Chan tournament twice in previous years, Morocco won it twice in previous years, and Angola has just won Cosafa, so they are teams with a large pedigree, do not forget that Zambia has also been a massive name for African history.”
“But Kenya, but I think we have everything on our way to succeed, the players are well prepared, they are ready for the challenge, and the fact that we play at home, we will have so many thousands of Kenyan supporters who will be behind the team, and stimulate the team, I think we are excited and ready for the challenge.”
McCarthy continued: “We want to be one of the surprises to go out and win the tournament, and this tournament being a springboard, it is an experience that changes life, I have never played Chan but played at the U-20 level at Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
“Fortunately, for me, I was the top scorer in the tournament, and the top player, and I ended up going to Ajax Amsterdam because of a tournament like that, because you never know who looks.”
McCarthy also revealed how he motivated his players to opt for a first class performance during the tournament which takes place between August 2 to August 30.
“I told my players, this is the best opportunity they will live, that they will have, so they must play well, to impress and become a successful story”, “ Adding McCarthy.
“If they impress, the European teams and the best African teams will bring the door for their services to obtain dream movements at the best clubs in the world, so the tournament could not have arrived at a better time for these players.”
McCarthy hates drop players
McCarthy, who previously worked as coach of the South African team of the Division of the first Amazulu division and as a coach of the first team at the Premier League Club Manchester United, revealed his most difficult task since he resumed the management role of Harambee stars.
“It was a good camp but yesterday (Tuesday) was a very difficult day for me, because I had to do something I hate to do, and it was to disappoint players, because I had to reduce the team”, “ explained McCarthy.
“So, I had to leave some players that I thought very well trained, well worked, but unfortunately, you have a number that you have to reach and the team must be this number, so unfortunately I had to disappoint certain players and it is never a good thing, because I had to be the bad person.”
Some of the players aid by McCarthy include the duo of Ulinzi Stars of Staphod Odhiambo and Yakeen Muteheli, Keith Imbali of Shabana, Kelly Madada of AFC Leopards and Brian Opondo of Tusker.
“Apart from the bad news, everything was good, the players looked really in good shape and healthy, even if it comes after a very long season and that they had only one week to rest, but they came back with good physical capacity, and I feel slowly in slowly, we go in our goal, and by the time that Chan arrives, the team will be ready, they will fight to make the Kenyans proud,»Addition of McCarthy.
On the decision to bring new faces, McCarthy said: “Obviously, when you see the quality of the players, as I said that you have a certain number of games you watch, then you make a decision on the players, and then we had the opportunity to play a friendly combination of players playing in the league, and that the players came from outside McCarthy.
“Earlier, as I said, it is never too late if the players impress when they play against you, and you think they could be a better option than you already have, so you make this decision because at the end of the day, it will only benefit the national team.
“It will only benefit Kenya, so when we have the best players at our disposal for the national team, what better way to do that, and yes, I just felt myself and the technical team, these are players that we can integrate and put in the team and help us on our goals to win Chan.”
On the question of whether he expects to make more changes to the team before the start of the Chan tournament, McCarthy replied: “We open doors to each player, as I said, the team must be finalized by July 23, we have a few additional days to work and see who is.
“Everything can happen, physically, the players could break down, and you have an injury or two, and then you have to bring other players, but I hope that the team will remain in good shape and healthy, but if there are high level players available, then, yes, we will be open to integrate it into the team and see if they can add more quality.”
McCarthy unhappy to lose the Osoro striker
The last outing of striker Emmanuel Osoro to sign for Power Dynamos of Zambia, did not ignore the attention of McCarthy, who estimated that the transfer had occurred at the wrong time, denying Kenya the opportunity to use the player during the CHAN.
Osoro, who was the second top scorer in the FKF Premier League last season after having succeeded 16 goals and provided seven assists for FC Talanta, finished the Switch on Tuesday after winning a permanent two -year contract.
His move occurs a week after the same team, Dynamos, unveiled the top scorer Moses Shumah from Kakamega Homeboyz, also on a two -year contract.
“We have already lost Emmanuel Osoro, he was a very key figure for the team, but he signed a contract with a foreign club, so with the rules of the CAF, it means that it is not eligible to play in Chan, who is a shame for us because he was a player who did exceptionally well in the League, and when we were in For Dotco, he was one of the exceptionally interpreters”, and when we were a forco. efficient exceptionally “,” said McCarthy.
“Then, you lose a player just before the start of Chan, so yes, and also Shumah, another player we also lost, who was already with the team, and who was also in my provisional team, so when you lose two quality players of this status, weeks before CHAN, it is difficult, but you have to have an open mind than if there are other exterior players.
On the reasons why Kenya midfielder FC Mohammed Bajaber was training alone, and not with the whole team, McCarthy said: “Bajaber injured when we went to Morocco for international friendly matches, he got his arm, but my decision is a good player, he was a young player who broke the system and quickly turned into power.
“He is a player who will not play in the Kenyan League for a long time because international clubs are already looking at him and this is largely due to his bravery that he has as a player because he wants better for himself, so he is improved.
“So, if you have such a kind of players, you give them all the opportunities to be available for the team because you cannot afford to lose players like that, and it will be silly to let it train every day and before the start of Chan, you lose the player through small opponents, and that is why we give it all the possibilities, and therefore it has a strict program.
This year’s tournament is particularly important for Kenya, which will appear on Home Soil. Harambee stars will have the opportunity to present their local players in front of fans at home, offering a unique chance to connect the national team to the basic leagues and servants who shape them.
Groups at a glance
Group A: Kenya, Morocco, Angola, Dr Congo, Zambia
Group B: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic
Group C: Uganda, Niger, Guinea, Algeria, South Africa
Group D: Senegal, Congo, Sudan, Nigeria
(Tagstotranslate) Football (T) African Nations Championship (T) Benni McCarthy (T) Emmanuel Osoro (T) Kenya (T) African Football (T) Kenya