‘Don’t Ask Me About Austin’ - ‘Tired’ Benni McCarthy Steers Clear of Gor Mahia Playmaker

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has sought to quell growing speculation over whether there are issues surrounding Gor Mahia midfielder Austin Odhiambo.

Odhiambo has been in the news since Kenya’s match against Madagascar when he was named on the bench but did not play as Harambee Stars exited the CHAN 2024 tournament at the quarter-final.

The midfielder had been one of the standout performers, scoring two goals, and was expected to play a part in the knockout round.

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However, McCarthy left him on the bench and later explained that the decision was tactical but his exclusion from the squad set to play against The Gambia and Seychelles in World Cup qualifiers raised more questions.

While fans were expecting McCarthy to address the issue, the Harambee Stars coach steered clear of the topic, terming it a matter for another day.

“Please, I do not want questions about Austin, I am tired. Let me just focus on the players that are here. That is a question for another day and for another time,” McCarthy requested the media when he was just about to address them on Monday.

The tactician’s reactions, however, leaves more questions than answers and he will likely have to address the issue in the near future to clear the air to avoid further speculation given already, there are a number of theories being thrown around over why the Gor Mahia playmaker was not included in the team.

Harambee Stars face The Gambia at Kasarani Stadium on Friday before taking on Seychelles next Tuesday and McCarthy gave chances to most of the CHAN 2024 players with eight foreign-based stars joining them.