Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has revealed why he did not pick Gor Mahia and Tusker FC players for the matches against The Gambia and Gabon.One of the biggest talking points when McCarthy revealed his final Harambee Stars squad for the two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier matches was the absence of Gor Mahia and Tusker players.Why Gor Mahia and Tusker players snubbed McCarthy’s first Harambee Stars training sessionThis was more peculiar because Gor Mahia’s Alphonce Omija, Sylvester Owino and Austin Odhiambo were even starters in Kenya’s previous matches, with Tusker’s Chrispine Erambo always receiving call ups.Speaking to the media after Kenya’s 2-1 loss to Gabon on Sunday 23 March, McCarthy opened up on the circumstances behind the exclusion of players from the two teams.“When I came, I had three days where I asked the clubs to allow me to have some of their best players that play in the Kenyan league for me to have a look at them. The players that were put in front of me are the ones that I chose from,” said McCarthy.The 47-year-old went ahead to blame the two clubs for the absence of their players in the national fold as they held on to them when he needed to assess them.##NAJAVA_MECA_8799785##“Gor Mahia never allowed their players as they asked permission to keep them and we agreed. Tusker also asked not to release their players which is all well and good but I am not going to select players I have not seen and know nothing about.That is the reason there were no Gor Mahia or Tusker players and I could not just call them based on someone else’s valuation,” he added.Thoughts on McCarthy’s decision? #FootballKE pic.twitter.com/8kM8d5uPyK— Mozzart Sport Kenya (@MozzartSportKe) March 24, 2025 The former Manchester United assistant coach particularly hinted that he declined to call up Gor Mahia star Austin Odhiambo despite advice and pressure from several quotas.“I did not have the career that I have for me to listen to another coach or anybody else telling me ‘This player is the best in our league.’ If I don’t see you, you do not get selected. Simple as that.”Nevertheless, the former Amazulu tactician said that the national team door is wide open for local players who will impress him and promised to scout for players from the local leagues.“There is a lot of potential. There are a lot of quality young players in the Kenyan league and I am going to be around to visit teams and see who can be called up to our camp.”
