Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy has responded to the criticism he has received from Kenyan football supporters following his team inconsistent performances in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. The South African coach has made it clear that negative comments do not affect him, insisting that he has developed a thick skin and understands the pressure that comes with being a football coach.

The 48-year-old was appointed as the Harambee Stars head coach in March 2025 and has since experienced both positive and difficult moments in charge of the national team. One of his notable achievements was guiding Kenya to the quarter-final stage of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament last year.

However, the team has struggled to produce consistent results in the current AFCON qualifying campaign. Kenya collected only one point from their September matches against Guinea and Eritrea, leaving them at the bottom of Group D with one point.

Although Kenya have automatically qualified for the 2027 AFCON tournament because they are one of the co-hosts, McCarthy wants to use the remaining qualifying matches to prepare his players for the competition.

The poor results have attracted criticism from Kenyan supporters, with some questioning his team selections and the performances of the national team. However, speaking on SportyTV, McCarthy explained that supporters do not always understand the problems affecting the team behind the scenes.

“You’re always going to get a backlash because people don’t know the ins and outs of what goes on,” McCarthy said.

The former Bafana Bafana striker explained that some players have made themselves unavailable for national team duty because of ongoing disagreements and other difficulties within Kenyan football. As a result, the technical team has sometimes been forced to consider alternative players instead of selecting their preferred options.

McCarthy believes supporters often judge the coaching staff without knowing the reasons behind certain selection decisions.

He also revealed a concerning situation involving the payment of the technical team, claiming that they had gone three months without receiving their salaries.

According to McCarthy, these are some of the difficulties that supporters do not consider when criticising the team's performances. He questioned whether those attacking the technical team would be willing to continue working without receiving payment.

The former Manchester United first-team coach also explained that he is doing the job for a country that is not his own and claimed that he is working without payment.

Despite these challenges, McCarthy insisted that he remains committed to his responsibilities and is not allowing criticism to distract him.

“I’ve got a crocodile skin anyway, man. Doesn’t really bother me what people think or say. They don’t make a scratch in my life,” he added.

McCarthy will now be hoping to improve Kenya's performances as preparations continue for the 2027 AFCON tournament. His attention will also turn to the upcoming meeting with Bafana Bafana, where he will face his home country in the latest chapter of his coaching career.

Source: IDiskiTimes