Benni McCarthy wins coach of the month award after CHAN performance
By Joel Masibo, September 2, 2025Harambee Stars tactician Benni McCarthy is August’s Sports Journalist Association of Kenya (SJAK) Coach of the Month.
The South African football legend becomes the third foreign coach to lay his hands on the coveted monthly trophy after compatriot and Kabras Sugar RFC’s head coach Carlos Katywa in April and Burundi’s Etienne Ndayiragije, head coach of Kenya Police FC in June 2025.
McCarthy, the only South African to have won the prestigious UEFA Champions League trophy, doing so with Porto in 2004, led Kenya’s Harambee Stars team to its first-ever quarterfinal slot in 38 years.
Harambee Stars overcame two-time champions Morocco (1-0) for the first time in history, also decimating Zambia and 2016 champions Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 1-0 each before settling for 1-1 draw with Angola.
Kenya settled for a one-all draw with Madagascar in the quarters’ regulation time but lost to the Barea 4-3 on post-match penalties.
The Stars last went past the quarter-final stage during 1987’s Fourth All Africa Games in Nairobi, losing 1-0 to the Pharaohs of Egypt in the finals.
In winning the August award, McCarthy, who is the South Africa national team’s all-time top scorer with 31 goals, won a personalised trophy and Ksh100,000.
To win the August award, McCarthy beat several other nominees, among them Strathmore Leos 7’s Rugby team, William Ojal, Malkia Strikers head coach Geoffrey Omondi for a maiden FIVB World Championship win over Vietnam and Jackline Barasa, who led Kenya’s women’s U-20 volleyball team to the African Women’s U-20 Volleyball Championship title on August 12, defeating Cameroon 3-1 in the final held in Yaoundé.
Nelson Jaika, who led St. Peter’s Boys High, Mumias, was also in the nominees mix after he led the school’s rugby team to victory in the National Rugby 7s championship title.
“When you top a group where you’re pooled with Morocco, DRC, Angola and Zambia, you count your blessings. Unfortunately, the game we thought we could win became a mission impossible,” McCarthy said moments after the award ceremony on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, adding: “There is a lot of talent in this country. Hopefully, we will be able to nurture them and grow.”
McCarthy’s career
McCarthy’s illustrious career featured stints at Ajax, Porto, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham, South African giants Orlando Pirates and Celta Vigo, among other clubs, and he has previously worked as the head coach of South African Premier Division sides Cape Town City and AmaZulu, and as first team coach at Premier League club Manchester United. McCarthy made his full international debut for South Africa in a friendly against the Netherlands on 4 June 1997.
Along with veteran Egyptian striker Hossam Hassan, McCarthy was the joint top scorer in the 1998 African Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso with seven goals, including four in 13 minutes against Namibia in addition to being named Player of the Tournament.