Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has come to the aid of skipper Michael Olunga, who has faced heavy scrutiny from fans following a series of underwhelming national team displays.
Olunga, a former Gor Mahia striker, has often been singled out for blame whenever the Stars falter, with frustrations boiling over most recently after Kenya’s 3-1 loss to The Gambia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Speaking on the criticism, McCarthy offered both encouragement and advice to his captain, urging him to stay focused on his strengths.
“As long as you just work hard and get under people’s skin, they can’t get you because you keep working hard, and doing what you do best when you step onto that pitch,” McCarthy said. “Work and keep sticking the ball at the back of the net.”
Olunga responded to the criticism in the best way possible, netting twice against Seychelles. His first came from the penalty spot just before half-time, before adding a second in the 67th minute with a powerful header from a Rooney Onyango delivery.
For McCarthy, such performances are the perfect response to doubters. He reiterated how vital Olunga remains to the Harambee Stars setup.
“That’s what Michael has to do, just keep plugging away. He knows how important he is, to me, to the technical team, and his teammates, and that’s the only thing that matters,” the coach added.
The South African tactician drew parallels to his own playing career, when he too faced criticism despite going on to become Bafana Bafana’s record scorer—a milestone Olunga is now closing in on with Kenya.
“The haters will keep hating because your talent will just keep going. That is the same for me, back in the day, I never gave two monkeys about what people thought or said about me, my name is still there, and they’re still struggling to get there, so yeah,” he remarked.
View this post on Instagram