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Harambee Stars skipper Aboud Omar has hailed head coach Benni McCarthy as the game-changer Kenya have long been waiting for to make their mark on the African stage.
For years, Kenya’s continental ambitions have flattered to deceive.
But since McCarthy, the former Bafana Bafana hitman with a bulging CV both on the pitch and in the dugout, took the reins, belief has swept through the Stars' camp.
The South African succeeded Turkish tactician Engin Firat, whose reign yielded just seven wins from 23 outings.
In contrast, McCarthy’s tactical nous has shone brightly at the African Nations Championship (CHAN), co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Making their debut at the tournament, Stars have turned heads, going toe-to-toe with Africa’s big hitters and silencing doubters who once dismissed them as minnows.
They currently top Group 'A' with seven points from three games, a place in the quarter-finals all but secured.
Angola trail on four points, with DR Congo and Morocco on three apiece, and Zambia rooted to the bottom without a point.
Omar, the longest-serving player in the current CHAN squad, credits McCarthy’s fiery passion and tactical steel for the transformation.
"He is very emotional; he wants to win. Sitting on the bench, you can see the love he has for the Kenyan people. He believes in every player," Omar said.
The towering left-back who ply's trade with Kenyan Premier League champions, Kenya Police, highlighted the tactical brilliance McCarthy has brought to Harambee Stars.
"It is very easy to work with him because he understands the players and he knows what we want," said Omar.
"We prepare adequately for each game we step into, looking at the tactical shape of the team we are facing, so we can be adequately prepared. The coach and the technical bench have done a great job in making the team click," he noted.
The captain says McCarthy’s glittering career serves as daily motivation for the squad.
"Working with Benni is amazing. He is a legend. I saw him play; he was a very good player. Looking at him and what he has achieved, it motivates you," added the skipper.
McCarthy enjoyed a stellar playing career in South Africa and Europe.
In Europe, he made his mark at Ajax, where he scored 20 goals in just 36 appearances, before hitting his peak at Portuguese giants Porto.
There, he netted 46 times in 86 matches, playing a pivotal role in their 2004 UEFA Champions League triumph under Jose Mourinho.
On the international stage, McCarthy remains South Africa’s all-time leading scorer with 31 goals in 79 caps, a record that stands as a benchmark for Bafana Bafana strikers.
He cut his managerial teeth at Cape Town City, guiding them to MTN 8 Cup glory in 2018.
A move to AmaZulu followed, where he masterminded a historic second-place finish in the DStv Premiership, the club’s highest in the modern era and steered them into the CAF Champions League group stages at the first attempt.
In July 2022, McCarthy joined Manchester United’s backroom staff as a first-team coach, working alongside Erik ten Hag before making the leap to international management with Harambee Stars.
Omar believes the watertight backline McCarthy has built in the Stars squad could be key to a historic CHAN triumph in their maiden appearance.
"For you to win, you don't need to concede. If the defence is good, then we have the opportunity to win," Omar said. "I think as long as our defence is concentrated, we have a chance to even win the tournament."
The campaign began with a 1-0 win over DR Congo, courtesy of Austin Odhiambo's strike.
However, McCarthy's tactical ingenuity was evident when he guided 10-man Harambee Stars' squads to a 1-1 draw against Angola and a 1-0 victory against North African giants Morocco.
Against the Palancas Negras, Jo Paciencia gave the Southern Africans an early lead before Odhiambo converted from the spot to restore parity.
However, in minute 21, Marvin Nabwire was given his marching orders following a professional last-man foul, leaving Stars to play nearly half an hour a man less.
In their most recent encounter against Morocco, Ryan Ogam fired a net-tingling strike in after 42 minutes to give Stars an early lead.
However, Chrispine Erambo was given a red card for a foul in the additional minutes of the first half, forcing Stars to play the second half a man down.
The skipper admitted that playing a man down in successive matches was a severe test of character.
"Every time we have a red card, you have to do more than your opponents because they have a man advantage. You have to work extra hard," he added.
"At the bench, we could see how emotional the coach was, but we told him that we would win against Morocco, and when the final whistle blew, we just ran to him to thank him."
He credited the home crowd for inspiring the team during those gritty performances.
"The fans have been very instrumental in our performance. If we got the red cards while playing away, we would have lost the games," he said.
Stars face Zambia on Sunday in their final group match, knowing a win will secure top spot and keep their quarter-final encounter at home.
"Every team is a threat to us. We will not relent and expect an easy victory. We need to win our games because if we top the group, we will play our quarterfinal here," he observed.
"If we lose we will face the crowd of our opponents, which is not favorable to us."
"Our focus is to win against Zambia, a draw will not be favourable, we want a win to have the home advantage in the quarters," he said.
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