With Benni McCarthy reportedly set to land a job as the coach of the Kenya national team, an official has outlined what his objectives would be going forward.
The former Cape Town City manager is poised to take the helm of the Harambee Stars, with his arrival in Kenya anticipated by the end of the week.
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A senior Football Kenya Federation (FKF) official, speaking to Nation Sport on condition of anonymity, essentially confirmed the impending appointment.
"We have a new coach, Benni McCarthy, who will be taking over the team and is expected to arrive in the country before the end of the week. He is a qualified coach who we believe can help steer the national team to prosperity," the official is quoted to have said.
The 47-year-old is set to replace interim coach Francis Kimanzi, who stepped into the role on an interim basis following the departure of Turkish tactician Engin Firat, who is thought to have quit due to non-payment of salary arrears.
The FKF official emphasised a merit-based approach under McCarthy's leadership: "Our aim is to build a good team that will take Kenya back to the glory days, and everything will be done based on merit, including selection to the national team."
The former Manchester United coach's first task will be Kenya's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Gambia and Gabon, which is scheduled to be played during the March international break.
After four encounters, the side are currently fourth in Group F with five points after winning just one of their matches thus far.
However, it has been suggested that the South African will go into the role with the nation's existing coaching team, and will not be bringing in his own staff.
Regardless, the FKF official expressed confidence in McCarthy's potential impact: "This time, we have got it right, and the finer details of the agreement will be released soon, but he is our new coach, and we expect him to build a competitive team."
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