While naming his provisional squad for the build-up matches during the FIFA international break, the 47-year-old South African legend recalled the 33-year-old Wanyama, whose last appearance for the team was in 2020 before he quit the national team in 2021 after he was overlooked for selection, that time, for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
However, due to personal commitments in the United Kingdom, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder requested to be excused from the two matches.
McCarthy accepted Wanyama’s request and moved swiftly to fill the gap, handing a call-up to Gor Mahia playmaker Austin Odhiambo.
Odhiambo has been in fine form in recent FKF Premier League matches this season since returning from injury, and his inclusion could add creative depth to the midfield options available for the two fixtures.
Wanyama made his debut for Harambee Stars in May 2007, aged just 15, in a friendly against Nigeria, and he went ahead to play in all six of Kenya’s 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He captained the national side at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2019, when Kenya finished third in their group behind eventual finalists Algeria and Senegal.
Wanyama’s presence will inspire young players
The return of Wanyama elicited debate across social media, with Kenyans giving mixed opinions. While others supported McCarthy’s decision, the other section felt Wanyama’s time for the national team as a player had elapsed, unless he made a return, but for a coaching role.
McCarthy has come out to shed light on why he made the big decision, insisting it was supported by the fact that the national team needs experienced players to guide the young ones, who are being integrated into the squad for future assignments.
“I have to look at all angles, so I picked a team, who I thought was strong, that has a little bit of experience, but with players when you bring in the young players in, those young players can learn from, and that was the reason for me why I selected a team that I did,” McCarthy told Flashscore.
“It is just unfortunate that Victor (Wanyama) couldn’t make it because he had family matters, so it’s not a question of why the player didn’t manage to come, and I just think he (Wanyama) is a local icon.
"I know how I’ve been through that in South Africa. I never had the sendoff that I wanted to after everything that you’ve done for your country."
McCarthy further explained why Wanyama deserved recognition and respect in the Kenyan football circles, saying the former Celtic and Southampton player, alongside Michael Olunga and his brother Macdonald Mariga, had put the East African nation’s name up on the map.
“You know Victor (Wanyama) is somebody that this country has to respect. When it comes to football, he’s one of the players who puts Kenya's name very high up on the map with his exploits at Celtic, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, together with Michael (Olunga), you know, and even Mariga.
“So yeah, I think for me, to have the opportunity to give someone like that a chance back into the national team squad but also from the younger players that you bring in for them to learn from someone like Wanyama because it is better to learn from someone that has played at the highest level.”
McCarthy concluded: “It is not just playing at the highest level, but he has achieved so much as well, so you know I think that was the reason for my inclusion of Wanyama, but unfortunately, family matters came in the way, but there will be other opportunities.”
Wanyama became the first ever Kenyan player to score in the UEFA Champions League when he scored the first goal in Celtic’s 2-1 win over Barcelona on November 7th, 2012.
Chad friendlies good prep for Kenya ahead of CHAN
According to McCarthy, the two fixtures against Chad will give him and his technical staff the opportunity to gauge Kenya’s preparedness ahead of the 2024 Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) to be co-hosted in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from August.
“Everyone looks very enthusiastic and in good spirit, so I hope we are going to have a good week, and I think these two friendly matches that are coming up, it is just to give everyone a little bit of match fitness, and get us going for CHAN, that is the purpose of this camp,” offered McCarthy.
“And also the international players that I did call, there are players that, I didn’t really have much to see them, when we were in the last camp, and I just felt it was a good opportunity for Wilson, who I think was very important in our two World Cup qualifying matches, but since his return from international duty, he hasn’t played a lot of football, as he would have liked for the club.
“So I thought this camp would give him a nice opportunity to play two games and keep himself involved with the national team. Of course, there is something there. He is a fantastic player, and we want to keep him around, because of the AFCON 2027 in Kenya, then you want to have players like that, you know, around in the squad.”
On the inclusion of Brian Mandela, who turns out for Stellenbosch FC in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in South Africa, McCarthy said: “Obviously Brian (Mandela) at Stellenbosch, the same, he didn’t play as much games, as he would have liked, so this would be a good opportunity, for him to marshal the young players, and players can learn from his experience, and him being around.
“That was the same reason for the international players, and Adam Wilson that is coming from the UK is also another player that I didn’t have the luxury of having a look at him, but he is done absolutely for his club and the league, so it was nice for me to have a little look at him, how we perform because we want to build a really good strong squad for upcoming games and the AFCON 2027 so that we’re ready.”
Kenya’s matches against Chad will be played at Stade de Marrakech in Morocco on June 7th and 10th.
