‘Players don’t want to come to a sinking ship’: McCarthy sounds alarm over Harambee Stars troubles

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has delivered one of his strongest public criticisms yet of the administrative problems surrounding Kenya's national football team, warning that dysfunction behind the scenes is making it harder to convince top foreign-based players to represent the country.

McCarthy's comments have taken on greater significance after Kenya opened its 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday.

Ryan Ogam scored late to rescue a point for Kenya after Eritrea threatened to leave Nairobi with a shock victory.

But beyond the result, McCarthy's concerns point to a larger problem facing Harambee Stars as Kenya prepares to co-host AFCON 2027 with Uganda and Tanzania: whether the national team is receiving the institutional support required to compete against Africa's strongest sides.

“Players don't want to come to a sinking ship, basically,” McCarthy said while discussing the difficulty of recruiting foreign-based players eligible to represent Kenya.

The South African coach said he has sometimes been forced to personally persuade players to commit to Harambee Stars.

McCarthy believes bringing more professionals playing in competitive overseas leagues into the national team would not only strengthen his squad but also expose locally based and younger players to higher professional standards.

Vyner case illustrates problem

McCarthy cited the experience of defender Zak Vyner as an example of how administrative failures can damage Kenya's efforts to recruit players from the diaspora.

According to McCarthy, Vyner previously travelled to Kenya believing the necessary documentation allowing him to represent Harambee Stars had been completed.

He was subsequently informed shortly before a match that the paperwork was not ready and he could not play.

The team then travelled for an away fixture without him.

McCarthy said that experience left the player reluctant to recommit to Kenya and that he has been personally trying to rebuild the defender's confidence in the national-team setup.

The coach said Kenya needs access to its strongest possible player pool if it is to compete seriously against Africa's leading football nations.

His comments are particularly important because Kenya's immediate preparations for Saturday's Eritrea match were themselves disrupted.

Players declined to train earlier in the week amid a dispute over unpaid allowances, leaving McCarthy with only one collective training session before the match.

That disruption came at precisely the time the coach needed to work on tactical organisation for the opening qualifier.

Captain Michael Olunga was also unavailable against Eritrea as McCarthy opted not to risk the striker following his return from a lengthy injury layoff.

AFCON clock is ticking

Kenya is already guaranteed a place at AFCON 2027 because it is one of the tournament's three hosts.

That makes the current qualifying campaign an important competitive preparation exercise rather than simply a route to qualification.

The question is therefore increasingly whether Harambee Stars will merely participate in AFCON or arrive with a team capable of challenging established continental powers.

Saturday's draw highlighted some of those concerns.

Kenya created opportunities but struggled to convert them and eventually needed Ogam's late intervention to avoid defeat.

McCarthy's concerns suggest the problems extend well beyond tactics.

International football camps are already short. Losing valuable preparation time because of disputes over allowances puts the technical bench at a disadvantage before matches even begin.

Administrative uncertainty can also affect player recruitment.

Many dual-nationality footballers have several international options. Convincing them to choose Kenya becomes harder if their first contact with the national team involves unresolved documentation, logistical problems or uncertainty over player welfare.

McCarthy's comments therefore present FKF and the government with a challenge.

Hosting AFCON will require stadiums, transport, security and tournament infrastructure.

Building a competitive Harambee Stars requires something different: predictable administration, proper player welfare, efficient documentation, professional camps and trust between players, coaches and football administrators.

The 1-1 draw with Eritrea may eventually prove less important than the warning delivered around it.

Kenya has roughly nine months before Africa's biggest football tournament arrives.

McCarthy appears increasingly clear about what he believes must change before then.