Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has defended his decision to include Mohammed Bajaber in the national team squad set to play a pair of 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers, this despite the winger being currently unattached.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsMcCarthy, responding to a question on the reason behind Bajaber’s inclusion to the side, referred to his “unbelievable” professionality, which he believes puts his fitness levels above majority of active local-based players.“His fitness levels are the same as the Kenyan players who play in the league, and I don’t have a problem,” the South African tactician said of Bajaber, whose last competitive game came during Harambee Stars’ last friendly against Lesotho on 7 June.##NAJAVA_MECA_9985212##Owing to his disastrous spell with a recurring thigh injury, Bajaber has had a full year to forget, given his limited playing time at his former club Simba SC of Tanzania.Since making his move from Kenyan side Kenya Police in August last year, Bajaber played only five games for Simba (two in the league and three in a triumphant Muungano Cup), before mutually parting ways with the club in July this year.Why Michael Olunga will miss Harambee Stars' pair of AFCON 2027 QualifiersGiven the winger’s lack of match activity, McCarthy again surprised much of the Kenyan fanbase last week, when he named Bajaber in his squad set to face Eritrea and Guinea on Saturday, 26 September, and Thursday, 1 October respectively.Explaining his reasoning, McCarthy said: “He [Bajaber] is an unbelievable professional, and you’ll find him in the gym during his spare time. That’s the one player that doesn’t need to be told what to do. When some players are playing cards, you’ll find him in the gym or sauna working on how he can improve himself."BETTING GUIDE: Kenya vs Eritrea, match preview, team news and prediction“Just because he is not attached, he is one of the best Kenyan players that is out here," McCarthy added. "His fitness levels are probably above majority of the team that is local.”Having proved to be one of McCarthy’s trusted lieutenants, Bajaber has in turn been a recipient of game-time at national team level, featuring in the last two international breaks in March and June.Benni McCarthy on why there will be no mercy when Kenya face South AfricaIn the latter period, the former Nairobi City Stars man showed he still had the game in him, scoring twice and registering an assist in Kenya’s 4-0 win over Lesotho at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.McCarthy will hope Bajaber can again put up such a performance, to silence his doubters.##NAJAVA_MECA_9984752##
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