Newly-appointed Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has assembled his own backroom staff, bringing in an all-South African technical team to support his tenure. The South African legend, who signed a two-year contract, will be assisted by Vasili Manousakis as Assistant Coach, Moeneeb Josephs as Goalkeepers Trainer, and Pilela Maposa as Performance Analyst. All three have also signed two-year deals.
McCarthy was officially unveiled in Nairobi, where he expressed his commitment to transforming Kenyan football. The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) believes his experience and vision align with the country’s ambitions. With his trusted team, McCarthy aims to instill tactical discipline, structure, and a winning mentality as Kenya prepares for upcoming competitions.
The coach has studied the talent in Kenya and believes there is significant potential to compete at the highest level. He is determined to build a disciplined and competitive squad while developing a strong team identity that plays exciting football. McCarthy looks forward to working with the players, the federation, and Kenyan fans to achieve success.
His technical team consists of individuals he has worked with before, particularly during his 18-month spell at South African club AmaZulu. Manousakis, who was recently the assistant coach at South African second-tier side Cape Town Spurs, has been a key figure in McCarthy’s coaching journey. Josephs, a former teammate of McCarthy at both Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana, also worked with him at AmaZulu. Together, they helped AmaZulu achieve their best-ever season, finishing second in the South African top flight in the 2020-21 campaign and qualifying for the CAF Champions League, where they reached the group stages.
Josephs now faces a significant challenge in addressing Harambee Stars’ goalkeeping issues. The position has been a concern, with previous coach Engin Firat alternating between Bryne Omondi and Patrick Matasi, while others like Farouk Shikalo and Ian Otieno have also had opportunities. However, inconsistency has remained a problem, causing uncertainty in the defense.
Josephs will need to identify Kenya’s best goalkeeping option, focusing on both technical ability and composure under pressure. Stability in this position will be crucial for the team’s defensive confidence and overall performance. With McCarthy and his team now in charge, Harambee Stars will be hoping for a fresh start and improved results as they aim for success in upcoming international competitions.
