Benni McCarthy’s player selection process lacks fairness and transparency – Reginald Asibwa

Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy has come under scrutiny following the release of his squad for this month’s international friendlies, with critics questioning some of his key omissions.

McCarthy on Tuesday unveiled his list for the upcoming matches against Madagascar and Tanzania, but the absence of any AFC Leopards players — along with the exclusion of star forward Michael Olunga — has sparked debate among supporters and former professionals.

However, former Leopards midfielder Reginald Asibwa voiced his displeasure, suggesting the selection process lacks fairness and transparency.

“When I watch the Kenyan Premier League, it’s difficult to identify any team that is way ahead of the rest in terms of very high-quality top-level players,” Asibwa told Flashscore.

“The rate at which AFC Leopards players are being overlooked in the recent past when naming even provisional squads for the national team is indeed wanting.

“I am not privy to the criteria used, but the process of selecting players raises concerns in terms of the yardstick used. I think if our level of football has gone down or up as a country, I think this should be across the board.”

Asibwa urged selectors to avoid bias, insisting the national team should be built on merit.

“Please, those involved in selection, let it not be the case of witch-hunt, maligning AFC Leopards and/or treating our players unfairly,” explained Asibwa.

“How can one explain when a player leaves AFC Leopards today, tomorrow they’re called to the national team? This isn’t good at all. In fact, I don’t think Kenya has a database containing all statistics regarding performances for all Kenyan players, which could have been the basis for inclusion or omission.”