Benni McCarthy says coaching Manchester United remains his ambition

The Kenya head coach, who previously served on United's staff, says he worries his ongoing work permit dispute in Kenya could hurt his chances at Old Trafford.

Manchester United have opened the Premier League season with their joint-lowest points total through five matches under manager Michael Carrick. Despite the poor start, the club is not planning significant changes to the coaching staff, and Carrick is expected to remain in charge when play resumes after the October international break.

Benni McCarthy, the 48-year-old manager of the Kenya national team, has said publicly that taking charge at Old Trafford is a personal goal. McCarthy knows the club well, having spent two years as a first-team striker coach under then-manager Erik ten Hag. He left in the summer of 2024 to return to a head coaching role.

McCarthy has led Kenya's Harambee Stars for about 18 months, but his tenure has been complicated by an unresolved work permit dispute. In an interview with Kenyan media, published via The Sun, he said the situation worries him because of how it might be perceived by a future employer.

"I am very worried, because I don't ever want that to be the stumbling block from getting the job one day of becoming a Man United coach," McCarthy said. He added that if reviewers of his record concluded he had worked in a country without the proper authorization, they might ask why they would want to hire him.

Still, McCarthy is viewed as a distant candidate for the United job at this stage. According to reports in Italy, Antonio Conte is the leading contender if INEOS decides to dismiss Carrick. The former Chelsea and Napoli manager is currently without a club and is believed to be open to taking on the Old Trafford project.