Passport hitch disrupts Benni McCarthy’s plans ahead of Kenya’s match with Senegal

Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy saw his preparations for two key friendly matches for Kenya disrupted due a passport issue.

McCarthy’s Kenya are set to face Equatorial Guinea on Friday, November 14 before a match with African giants Senegal four days later with both friendly matches being played in Turkey.

However, as his team assembled for training in Nairobi on Monday, he was not present, same as on Tuesday and Wednesday morning when the squad left for Turkey.

His absence raised eyebrows from curious fans but it was later revealed that the former AmaZulu and Cape Town City coach had seen his travel arrangements messed up due to a late passport renewal.

What was the issue with Benni’s passport?

According to his assistant Vasili Manousakis, McCarthy was forced to change his plans and link up with the team in Turkey instead after receiving his new passport late.

“He had some passport issues, just renewing his passport, so he has received that now, and it made no sense from Friday to come over back here,” Manousakis told Pulse Sports Kenya. “So we shall meet him in Turkey. He is definitely there and we shall see him. It was just some passport issues.”

The Harambee Stars experienced mixed fortunes in their last two matches in October, when they beat Burundi 1-0 before losing 3-0 away to Ivory Coast, in their final World Cup qualifiers and will be looking to bounce back against Equatorial Guinea and Senegal.

McCarthy has been at home in Scotland since the last international window and was hoping to link up with his players in Nairobi before travelling to Turkey but had to change his plans after the passport hitch.