Give me time, I'll deliver, Harambee Stars coach McCarthy says

Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy feels that the short time he has spent with the team was the deciding factor in the 2-1 loss to Gabon at the Nyayo Stadium.

The Stars put on a spirited display against a well drilled Gabonese outfit that boasts the firepower of experienced striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and the quality shone through with the West Africans generally the more dangerous of the two sides.

McCarthy acknowledged that his side lost out on quality for the day but with time, he will be able to balance his squad.

"They (Gabon) as a team had more togetherness than we had. I've only been here a very short while, I've just had a week with the team, and as much as you want to make changes you can only do so much in such a short time," he said in his post-match presser.

"What we can promise is that the team will get better and the fans will have a team to be proud of."

He also took time to praise Kenyan fans who turned out to support the Stars.

"We are grateful for the support from the fans. The people of Kenya who came out to support. Wow. It was one of the most memorable experiences I have had since my playing days and career playing in Europe. It was beautiful. This is what Africa should be about," he praised.

McCarthy will now focus on building a strong team of local-based players for the upcoming Africa Nations Championships CHAN continental showpiece that will take place in August in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Kenya has never participated in CHAN, which was created specifically for players plying their trade in the African continent.

Kenya is placed in Group A alongside two time winners Morocco, DR Congo, Angola and Zambia in what many believe to be the proverbial group of death.