Benni McCarthy has revealed he had other job interviews abroad before deciding to take the Kenya job instead.
McCarthy was unveiled as the new head coach of Kenya on Monday afternoon after penning a reported two-year contract with the side.
The 47-year-old also brought in his own technical staff, comprising Vasili Manousakis as assistant coach, Moeneeb Josephs as goalkeeping coach, and Pilela Maposa as performance analyst.
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Having been without a job since leaving his role as strikers' coach at Manchester United in June 2024, McCarthy revealed during his unveiling that before accepting his new role in Kenya, he had job interviews with clubs in Major League Soccer, the top flight of the United States.
"I did have job interviews with other coaches and mostly it was clubs in the MLS, but I think [Kenya] is a sleeping giant in my eyes," McCarthy told Football Kenya Federation (FKF).
"I looked at the project, and it is a country that has a lot of potential. They have some really talented young players who play abroad in Europe, so if you have the right mindset and the right mentality, you can do something special with the team.
"When I spoke to the federation's deputy president [McDonald] Mariga, they spoke to my agent and told him they were interested, and it is always nice to know that in your life, every day, you go out to convince people why you are a good coach, why you are the right man for the job. With Kenya, it was a lot of respect from the federation's president, Hussein [Mohammed], and deputy Mariga."
McCarthy's first games will be back-to-back World Cup qualifiers at home against The Gambia and away at Gabon later this month.
Meanwhile, FKF president Hussein Mohammed pledged that McCarthy would have full control of the team's technical affairs and that no external interference would be imposed on the South African tactician.
"Nobody in my team will call Benni or anybody on the (technical) bench to force a player down their throat or to dictate how the coaching will be done. They will be completely independent," said Mohammed.
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By Lukhanyo Mtuta
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