Benni McCarthy names 3 PSL players in his first Kenya squad
New Kenya national team head coach Benni McCarthy has included three players from the Betway Premiership in his first squad selection.
The highly-rated coach recently took over the Harambee Stars hot seat, with the task to turn the East African nation into one of the powerhouses on the continent.
McCarthy is returning to the dugout after spending a couple of months on the sidelines since parting ways with Manchester United. The former Orlando Pirates forward was in the books of the English Premier League giants from 2022 to 20224 as a striker coach.
Following the expiry of his contract at the end of last season, McCarthy was back in the market, and he was linked with a return to AmaZulu FC before the move fell through.
McCarthy coached two Betway Premiership teams, Cape Town City FC and AmaZulu, before taking over the big gig at Man United.
Meanwhile, McCarthy took over the Harambee Stars job with his full technical team that is made up of Moeneeb Josephs as his goalkeeper coach, Vasili Manousakis as assistant coach and Pilela Maposa as performance analyst.
WHO ARE THE PSL PLAYERS IN BENNI MCCARTHY’S KENYA SQUAD?
The 47-year-old mentor on Tuesday announced his first Kenyan squad for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Gambia and Gabon this month.
McCarthy has included Stellenbosch FC defender Brian Onyango, Richards Bay FC goalkeeper Ian Otieno and Polokwane City FC goalkeeper Brian Bwire in the prelim squad of Kenya.
FULL KENYA NATIONAL TEAM SQUAD:
GOALKEEPERS
Brian Opondo, Faruk Shikhalo, Ian Otieno, Brian Bwire
DEFENDERS
Sylvester Owino, Ronney Onyango, Alphonce Omija, Siraj Mohamed, Daniel Sakar, Levis Esambe, Eric Ouma, Johnstone Omurwa, Joseph Okumu, Collins Sichenje, Daniel Anyembe, Brian Onyango
MIDFIELDERS
Musa Katibi, Chris Erambo, Austine Odhiambo, Lawrence Juma, Kelly Madada, Ben Stanley, Mathia Isogoli, Andreas Odhiambo, Alpha Onyango, Richard Odada, Duke Abuya, Timothy Ouma, Apollo Otieno, Amos Nondi, Eric Johanna, Anthony Akumu, Ismail Gonzalez, William Lenkupae.
FOWARDS
Boniface Muchiri, James Kinyanjui, Alvin Mang’eni, Mohamed Bajaber, Eric Balecho, Ryan Ogam, Moses Shumah, Edward Omondi, Elvis Rupia, John Avire, Jonah Ayunga, Michael Olunga, Mathew Tegisi, Masud Juma.
RELATED STORY: What Benni McCarthy said about Manchester United