McCarthy Backs Omondi Call-Up with “Method Behind the Madness”
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has defended his decision to include Gor Mahia’s Ben Stanley Omondi in Kenya’s squad for the FIFA Series in Kigali, Rwanda, after fans questioned the late addition ahead of their March 27 opener against Estonia.
Omondi came in as a replacement for injured captain Michael Olunga, but McCarthy made clear the pick was far from accidental — pointing to the player’s ability to operate across multiple attacking roles as the key reason.
“I can’t honestly tell you what Ben Stanley’s best position is, because I think Ben Stanley, if I play him at number nine, will do a very good job for me there. But at number 10, he plays on the right midfield. And on the left… I played him as a converted winger coming inside, as a second number 10. So yeah, I like my players to have that kind of creativity,” McCarthy said.
The South African tactician also explained his broader philosophy of exposing players to unfamiliar positions to build awareness and adaptability. “It takes them out of their comfort zone. But when they do play in their position, they’ve got awareness of dropping into spaces in different positions… There’s method behind all my madness,” he added.
Kenya face Estonia, Grenada, and hosts Rwanda in Group A, with all matches at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali.