McCarthy Opens Up On North African Interest

Benni McCarthy Reveals He Was In Talks With USM Alger. Photo: Gallo Images

Kenya national team coach Benni McCarthy has revealed how close he came to joining Rulani Mokwena’s rivals in Algeria.

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McCarthy has been Kenya boss for a full year and has enjoyed mixed success with the Harambee Stars.

The South African boasts a record of six wins, three draws and six defeats in 15 games, which includes a quarter-final run at the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN).

He will be tasked with leading Kenya at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where they will co-host the tournament, but he recently revealed there had been interest in North Africa.

During an interview with Robert Marawa on 947, McCarthy spoke about the interest that Algerian side, USM Alger had shown and revealed how far things went.

“There was interest from USM Alger,” he said. “I had a few calls with people within the club, and agents that work for the club, but in the end, you know football, one minute it’s hot and the next minute it swings the other way,” the 48-year-old continued. 

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“It was a very hot rumour, and there were some talks about it, and nothing materialised, and in the end they went with a French-speaking coach, which was a bit of an obstacle for me, because I am the kind of coach to have man-to-man conversations with the players, they must experience how I am, and to do that through a translator is a bit tough,” the ex-Cape Town City boss concluded.

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