- FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga has come out to defend Harambee Stars head coach McCarthy’s decision to recall Victor Wanyama to the national squad.
- Victor Wanyama pulled out of the Harambee Stars squad for the friendly matches against Chad due to personal commitments.
- The former Serie A star has urged fans to support both iconic veterans and emerging talents, noting that public criticism can significantly affect a player’s morale.
FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga has criticized fans for disrespecting players, describing their behavior as demoralizing, while defending Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy’s decision to recall veteran Victor Wanyama to the squad.
Wanyama, who retired from international duty in 2021, was included in McCarthy’s provisional squad earlier this week as part of the preparations for two international friendlies scheduled in Morocco on Saturday, June 7, and Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
These matches form part of Kenya’s preparations for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
The decision to recall the 32-year-old former national team captain sparked a wave of mixed reactions online.
While some fans expressed optimism about Wanyama’s leadership and experience, others criticized the move, claiming the player is too old and calling for the inclusion of younger talent.
In response to the online backlash, Wanyama opted to withdraw from the squad, with FKF later announcing that he had stepped down due to “personal reasons” he is addressing in the UK, where he currently plays for Scottish Championship side Dunfermline Athletic.
ALSO READ: Victor Wanyama withdraws from Harambee Stars squad amidst mixed fan reaction
Mariga backs McCarthy’s on Victor Wanyama call-up
Reacting to Wanyama’s withdrawal, Mariga a former Harambee Stars and Inter Milan midfielder, admitted he was unaware of the specific reason behind Wanyama’s decision but emphasized that McCarthy likely intended to inject experience and leadership into the squad.
To be honest, I have not talked to him about returning to the national team. But I think the coach wanted to bring experience and leadership into the squad. We have a good team, but we lack the experience needed. As players, we tend to perform better when there is experience in the squad.
I haven’t spoken to him, so I don’t know the exact reason why he didn’t want to return to the national team,” Mariga said during the 9th FKF Congress held on Saturday, May 31, at a Nairobi hotel.
I think he talked with the coach, because if he left, he must have communicated with him. I willl talk to the coach to understand the situation, but I have no power to decide who gets called up and who doesn’t.”
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Mariga also criticized the fans’ negativity, stating that their harsh opinions undermine the efforts of both seasoned and upcoming players.
The disrespect from fans is something that exists. When you’re a fan, you’re on the outside watching, and people will always talk. But we cannot dictate the coach’s decisions, and fans cannot tell someone to retire if the player feels they still have something to give.
We’ve seen players like Zanetti retire at 40 or 41. If you can still contribute to your club and country, that’s perfectly fine. Forcing players into early retirement is a serious issue.”
He continued: “Even in our league, we pressure players to retire as early as 32, yet elsewhere, players retire at 40 or 41. If you can still perform at that age, there’s nothing wrong with that. I think fans need to give people a chance and even those as young as 16 or 17 should be given the opportunity.”
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The former Serie A star concluded by urging fans to show support to both the iconic veterans and the emerging talents, noting that public criticism can significantly impact a player’s morale.
These things can demoralize you as a player when you don’t receive respect or enough of it. In other countries, legendary players are even honored with farewell matches. Fans need to support the players and let the coach do his job. You can’t dictate to them what to do.”
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