Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has vigorously defended the national team’s abrupt return from the CECAFA Four Nations tournament in Tanzania, stating the move was a strategic decision to eliminate any excuses should they falter in the upcoming 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN).

Kenya finds itself in a formidable Group A, alongside two-time champions Morocco and DR Congo, newly-crowned COSAFA champions Angola, and Zambia.

This “Group of Death,” as McCarthy aptly described it, necessitates impeccable preparation, a standard the South African tactician felt could not be met in Tanzania.

“The group that we are in is a group of death and if we are not properly prepared, we will have shortcomings and people will ask questions,” McCarthy told local media on Wednesday. “I feel like we did not want to make any excuses as to why if we have difficulties in the group stages.”

McCarthy expressed deep concern over the sub-standard training facilities and pitches offered in Tanzania, arguing that valuable training time would have been squandered.

“We were going to spend seven days there and two days of good training sessions and five days of looking at each other, high-fiving each other and hoping that we will be able to come back and compete and give the best that we can in CHAN,” he lamented.

The coach firmly believes that returning to Kenyan soil, where superior facilities are available, provides the Harambee Stars with the best possible chance to navigate the challenging group stages.

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The team arrived back in Nairobi on Tuesday and immediately resumed intensive training on Wednesday, underscoring McCarthy’s commitment to optimal readiness.

As the CHAN 2024 tournament approaches from August 2-30, the focus is now squarely on meticulous preparation and leaving no stone unturned in their quest for continental glory.