‘You Would be Mad to Fall Out with Him’ - Harambee Stars Goalkeeper on Why Benni McCarthy is the Best They Have Ever Had

Harambee Stars goalkeeper Faruk Shikalo has lauded the changes brought in by head coach Benni McCarthy since he became their boss.

The South African tactician has been in charge of the Kenyan national team since March this year and his arrival has seen not just a change in fortunes when it comes to results but professionalism and discipline within the playing unit.

McCarthy has managed to restore confidence among the players, given them freedom on the pitch and makes his selection based on merit and not how big a name the player is.

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“There is nothing as good as having a coach who has played and understands football. Do you know with coach McCarthy, you can get cash rewards, he receives nothing and he is very comfortable?” Shikalo posed during an interview with TikiTaka Show.

“I sometimes wonder because if he gives you a game and you fail to fight for him, then you are mad. The way he treats people [is amazing].

“You could receive even Ksh5 million as a team and he will say; ‘give it to the players, not officials.’ Where have you seen that? Then he has a character that makes it difficult to fall out with him unless you have a problem.”

Shikalo then went into details about McCarthy’s man-management skills that separates him from all the other tacticians he has played under in the national team.

“He is like a brother, father. He is so good that he can just look at you and call you aside to know where the problem is,” added Shikalo.

“For him, whether you are senior or junior, everything has to be straight forward. For him it is all about the team and not individual and he believes that everybody can play.

“In all these years I have played, he is the best we have had because he is understanding. He allows your family to come to camp, watch you in training as long as you are comfortable and your performance on the pitch is great.”

McCarthy has overseen 12 matches since joining Kenya, winning six while there have been four draws and two defeats.

Their latest game was a 1-0 win over Burundi in a 2026 World Cup qualifier in Bujumbura on Thursday and will hope for another positive result against Ivory Coast on Tuesday.