- Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has made three changes to his squad for CHAN 2024
- The Africa Nations Championship (CHAN 2024) is set to kick off on Saturday, August 2, and will run until August 30.
- The tournament is co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
The clock is ticking as the much anticipated Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 approaches, but Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has revealed he faces a daunting task in selecting his starting XI.
The continental tournament, exclusive to players featuring in domestic leagues, takes place from 2 to 30 August and will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
With the opening match in Tanzania on August 2, the grand finale will take place at Nairobi’s Kasarani Stadium in Kenya on August 30.
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During Wednesday’s press conference (July 30), McCarthy reflected on the team’s preparations since returning from the CECAFA tournament in Tanzania where they did not compete.
He expressed satisfaction with their training sessions, emphasizing that everything has been executed to the highest standards.
Since we came back from Tanzania, the training sessions have been good. We couldn’t complain about anything. Everything was at a good standard, so we got most of the work done,” McCarthy remarked.
Last-minute Harambee Stars squad adjustments add to selection pressure
The former Manchester United first-team coach was compelled to make late adjustments to his final CHAN 2024 squad, as three players: Mohammed Bajaber, Swaleh Pamba, and Brian Musa, were ruled out due to injuries just days before the tournament’s start.
As a result, Edward Omondi, Brian Michira, and Crispine Erambo were drafted into the squad, officially announced on Wednesday.
ALSO READ: Late injury blows prompt Harambee Stars squad shake-up ahead of CHAN 2024 kickoff
With the squad now finalized, McCarthy confessed that his biggest challenge remains deciding who will start in the crucial opener against DR Congo on Sunday.
Despite this, he remains confident in the team’s readiness.
I think come Sunday, the team will be ready. But the headache lies with me and the technical team in selecting the first eleven. I’d rather have that kind of headache than any other problem. The team is really ready and fit,” he stated.
Why selecting the starting XI is proving difficult for McCarthy?
The South African tactician admitted that the difficulty in selecting his ideal starting lineup stems from the exceptional performances across the entire squad during training.
The headache is big because everyone in the team has worked hard and impressed me. It will be unfair, because you can only pick eleven players to start the match, those are the rules from FIFA and CAF,” McCarthy explained.
I don’t think I will be able to make everyone happy, because so far, everyone has shown me total respect, hard work, and everything you’d want from a player as a coach.
They have all proved themselves and given me their best. So it will be a tough job to select the ideal players to start the game, but that’s why I’m here and getting paid to make those decisions.
Some players may be disappointed because they believe they shouldn’t be benched, but come Sunday, my staff and I will have made the right decision with a team that will be stronger than the opponent.”
With the final squad confirmed, the Harambee Stars are now focused on their opening Group A clash against DR Congo on August 3 at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Kenya will also face Angola, Morocco, and Zambia in a challenging group, with home support expected to bolster the team’s performance in their debut CHAN campaign.
Harambee Stars – CHAN 2024 final squad
Goalkeepers
Faruk Shikhalo, Byrne Omondi, Sebastian Wekesa
Defenders
Siraj Mohammed, Manzur Suleiman, Abud Omar, Alphonce Omija, Sylvester Owino, Mike Kibwage, Daniel Sakari, Lewis Bandi, Kevin Okumu
Midfielders
Crispine Erambo, Brian Michira, Alpha Onyango, Austin Odhiambo, Ben Stanley, Marvin Nabwire
Forwards
Edward Omondi, Boniface Muchiri, David Sakwa, Ryan Ogam, Masoud Juma, Austin Odongo, Felix Oluoch
CHAN 2024 – Harambee Stars fixtures (All matches at Kasarani Stadium)
- Kenya vs DR Congo – Sunday, August 3 | 3:00 PM
- Angola vs Kenya – Thursday, August 7 | 7:00 PM
- Kenya vs Morocco – Sunday, August 10 | 3:00 PM
- Zambia vs Kenya – Sunday, August 17 | 3:00 PM
