While naming Harambee Stars’ squad of 25 players for the upcoming FIFA Series in Kigali, Rwanda, the South African legend first took critics head-on, who have on many occasions questioned his selection criteria for the national team.
Former AFC Leopards legend Reginald Asibwa and Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula have been among the critics of McCarthy’s squad selection, with the two coming out recently to hit out at the coach.
In an exclusive interview with Flashscore, Asibwa and Shimanyula raised concerns about how several good players were being overlooked from the national team.
"I don’t understand the rationale of calling a player who is unattached, especially when his match fitness is questionable, having trained alone or with a personal coach," Asibwa told Flashscore.
On his part, Shimanyula said: "It is unfortunate what we are seeing happening to Harambee Stars, the squad selection raises more questions than answers, and if nothing is done quickly to change the trend, then Kenya will no longer be a power house in Africa."
McCarthy responds to critics
"If the players are better than the ones we have selected, then they have a case, but up until then, I am yet to be proven wrong, so I am going to stick to that," McCarthy told reporters as quoted by SportPesa Blog.
"We are monitoring all the players in the local league, and if you do well, we do select, but if we have players abroad in a much stronger competition, why would you not select a player that plays in a strong competition?"
McCarthy added: "Football is a global sport where you are never going to satisfy everyone; you have to do what’s right for you, what’s right for the team and what’s right for what you know.
"A lot of the players you see here are the ones that have done well for me since I arrived here, so I am not going to turn my back on anybody because some coaches are crying. They need to worry about their position on the logs with their teams."
On November 18th, 2025, Harambee Stars under McCarthy suffered a humiliating 8-0 defeat to Senegal in an international friendly at the Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey.
The match saw Senegal lead by six goals within the first 35 minutes, marking one of Kenya’s heaviest losses. For the first time since the defeat, McCarthy shed light on what prompted the outcome.
Kenya 'weren't prepared' to face Senegal
"The last game, that wasn’t Kenya. We were up against the AFCON champions, and when you have a squad full of new, young, and experimental players, we weren’t prepared to play Senegal," offered McCarthy.
"Then the plans changed, and all of a sudden, you are facing them with a youthful side we had assembled."
Kenya was earlier scheduled to play Madagascar and Comoros, but owing to last-minute changes, they landed a Senegal friendly, which, according to McCarthy, the technical bench was against, but they later opted to face the African champions.
"You know, it wasn’t a good reflection on the team, on the players, but it is football. When you’re in that situation… but we also didn’t feel we had to play because we were supposed to face Madagascar and Comoros," added McCarthy.
"So, I think from that mistake, now you don’t want to experiment again with young, new players. What we’re building, trying to do now, is to build for the AFCON team. So, we want to get the strongest possible players that we have out there."
Harambee Stars have already landed in Rwanda ahead of the FIFA Series. The FIFA Series will take place from March 27th, and Kenya have been drawn to face Estonia at the Amahoro Stadium.
Harambee Stars’ second match in the mini-tournament will depend on the outcome of the other opening fixture between Rwanda and Grenada.
Final 23-man Kenya squad for FIFA Series
Goalkeepers: Faruk Shikhalo, Brian Bwire, Ian Otieno
Defenders: Manzur Okwaro, Aboud Omar, Alphonce Omija, Mike Kibwage, Frank Odhiambo, Rooney Onyango, Daniel Sakari
Midfielders: Alpha Onyango, Duke Abuya, Richard Odada, Chrispine Erambo, Austine Odhiambo, Will Lenkupae, Mohammed Bajaber
Forwards: Job Ochieng, Zech Obiero, Clarke Oduor, Ryan Ogam, Lawrence Okoth, Ben Stanley
