Benni McCarthy defends selection calls, explains Senegal humiliation as Kenya reset for AFCON push

Benni McCarthy has mounted a firm defence of his squad decisions for Kenya, insisting criticism of his selection policy is misplaced while offering fresh context to the Harambee Stars’ crushing 8-0 defeat to Senegal late last year.

The Kenya head coach spoke as he unveiled a 25-man squad for the upcoming FIFA Series in Kigali, using the moment to address growing scrutiny from sections of the local football fraternity.

Former AFC Leopards figure Reginald Asibwa and Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula have been among those questioning his choices, arguing that in-form domestic players are being overlooked in favour of less active or foreign-based options.

McCarthy, however, remains unmoved, maintaining that his selections are grounded in performance levels and competitive exposure.

“If the players are better than the ones we have selected, then they have a case, but up until then, I am yet to be proven wrong, so I am going to stick to that,” he said.

“We are monitoring all the players in the local league, and if you do well, we do select, but if we have players abroad in a much stronger competition, why would you not select a player that plays in a strong competition?”

The former striker stressed that national team management inevitably involves difficult choices, adding that he will prioritise what he believes best serves the team’s long-term direction.

“Football is a global sport where you are never going to satisfy everyone; you have to do what’s right for you, what’s right for the team and what’s right for what you know.

“A lot of the players you see here are the ones that have done well for me since I arrived here, so I am not going to turn my back on anybody because some coaches are crying. They need to worry about their position on the logs with their teams.”

McCarthy also revisited Kenya’s heavy defeat to Senegal in November 2025, describing it as an unrepresentative performance shaped by circumstance rather than a true measure of the team’s level. Facing the reigning African champions with a largely experimental squad, he admitted the side was ill-prepared for the challenge.

“The last game, that wasn’t Kenya. We were up against the AFCON champions, and when you have a squad full of new, young, and experimental players, we weren’t prepared to play Senegal.”

Originally scheduled to face Madagascar and Comoros, Kenya’s abrupt switch to a high-profile friendly against Senegal disrupted the technical team’s plans. McCarthy revealed there had been reservations internally about taking on such opposition under those conditions.

“You know, it wasn’t a good reflection on the team, on the players, but it is football. When you’re in that situation… but we also didn’t feel we had to play because we were supposed to face Madagascar and Comoros.”

In the aftermath of that result, McCarthy indicated a shift in approach, with less emphasis on experimentation and greater focus on building a stable, competitive core ahead of future tournaments.

“So, I think from that mistake, now you don’t want to experiment again with young, new players. What we’re building, trying to do now, is to build for the AFCON team. So, we want to get the strongest possible players that we have out there.”

Kenya have already arrived in Rwanda for the FIFA Series, where they are set to face Estonia at the Amahoro Stadium.