Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy says he did not have a conversation with Emmanuel Osoro in a bid to let the striker remain as part of his squad that will feature in the 2024 Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) next month.Osoro, after a brilliant season with FC Talanta last season, was named in McCarthy’s provisional team for the home tournament, but opted to drop out, instead sealing a move to reigning Zambia Super League champions Power Dynamos.Follow our WhatsApp channel for more newsThe transfer, which was confirmed on Tuesday 15 July, meant the striker was no longer in the frame for CHAN, as the competition is purely reserved for local-based players.His exit was the second McCarthy has had to deal with in his attack, following the departure of former Kakamega Homeboyz striker Moses Shumah to the same Zambian outfit.Zambian champions confirm signing of two best FKF Premier League scorersSpeaking to the press on Wednesday, McCarthy seemed at odds with Osoro’s decision to leave, saying no conversation was had between him and the striker beforehand.“I have got so many players to worry about you know?” McCarthy said when asked whether he tried delaying Osoro’s move to Zambia, at least after CHAN.REPORTS: McCarthy calls up Kenya Police midfielder, drops 5 from Harambee Stars squad“If a player and a club decide that it is for the player’s best interest to join an international club and skip the CHAN tournament, there is nothing I can do. The player has a right to also look after his future and weigh where he will end up, and what he wants to achieve. “I do not need to try to convince anybody. To represent your country is such a huge honor, so I do not think anything else could come before that.”##NAJAVA_MECA_9019132##Osoro, who finished the 2024-2025 FKF Premier League season with 16 goals, had been seen by many as the favorite man to lead Kenya’s attack, and so did McCarthy.“He was a very key figure to this team,” the South African tactician said of Osoro. “It is a shame to us because he is a player who did exceptionally well, and when we were out in Morocco, he was one of our outstanding performers. To lose such a player just before the CHAN starts is difficult, but I wish him all the very best and good luck in the new challenge.”Three Kenyan referees appointed to officiate CHANOn the team’s plans without the pair of Osoro and Shumah, McCarthy added: “We will continue to soldier on and do our best. What we do in CHAN will probably let them know whether the decision was right for them,” he added.
