McCarthy, a former first-team coach at English football powerhouse Manchester United, will be named the next coach by the end of this week, succeeding interim manager Francis Kimanzi, according to a source at the Football Kenya Federation (FKF).
Although McCarthy’s hiring has been rumored for a while, it finally appears to be finalized at a time when the national team is attempting to establish some stability.
Prior to his debut at the end of the week, McCarthy is anticipated to arrive in the nation in the middle of the week, the source claimed. He will also be there at Sunday’s historic Mashemeji Derby, which will pit Kenya’s two most successful clubs, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, against one another.
With Kenya’s World Cup qualifying matches against Gabon and Gambia quickly approaching, his hiring comes at a critical moment. McCarthy will start getting ready for the crucial battles as soon as he is formally confirmed.
Hussein Mohammed, the president of FKF, assured supporters earlier this year that the organization was dedicated to selecting the top player for the national squad.
“To assist us in achieving our goals, FKF is seeking to recruit a capable technical bench and a substantive coach. For this reason, the existing technical bench was appointed temporarily. When everything is finalized, we will give you an update on the new coach,” Mohammed told Nation.
Firat’s exit signaled the end of a tumultuous three-year stint with the national team that was characterized by inconsistent results on the field, constant criticism, and salary delays.
With 31 goals in 74 games, former striker McCarthy is Bafana Bafana’s all-time leading scorer. McCarthy was well-known for his killer eye for goal and cunning boxing moves, which were crucial to his nation’s success in the FIFA World Cup games in 1998 and 2002.
McCarthy has coached in South Africa, where he was the head coach of Cape Town City FC and AmaZulu FC, where he had some success.
His most recent position involved coaching the Manchester United first team in a prominent capacity and contributing his attacking expertise. McCarthy was coached by former head coach Erik Ten Hag from 2022–2024. He helped the team win the Carabao Cup in 2022–2023 and coached players like Cristiano Ronaldo, who is considered to be the best football player of all time.
By Kenyans