Incoming Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy is set to arrive in Kenya before the end of the week, with his official unveiling scheduled for next Friday.
The South African tactician was identified as the new head coach last December, but the process of formalizing his appointment has faced delays.
However, sources within the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) confirm that all preparations have now been finalized.
McCarthy, a former Manchester United first-team coach, is expected to land in Nairobi midweek. His appointment comes at a crucial time, with Kenya preparing for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Gambia and Gabon.
“He is flying to Nairobi this coming Wednesday. Everything regarding his appointment has been completed, and we have tentatively scheduled his unveiling for Friday,” a source within FKF stated.
Once officially appointed, McCarthy will take over from interim coach Francis Kimanzi and begin immediate preparations for the qualifiers. FKF has also identified several local coaches who will work alongside him.
There is still uncertainty over whether McCarthy will oversee Kenya’s campaign in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament in August or if local coaches will handle the matches. The federation is expected to make a decision on that later, with the primary focus currently on the March international break.
Earlier this year, FKF president Hussein Mohammed assured fans that the federation was keen on securing the best coach for the national team. He also highlighted the financial difficulties the federation has previously faced in paying coaches, emphasizing the need for a well-structured appointment process.
“FKF is working to appoint a substantive coach and a competent technical bench to help us achieve our objectives. That’s why the current technical bench was appointed on an interim basis. We will provide an update on the new coach once all the details are finalized,” Hussein told The Nation.
