Firat blasts critics slamming Harambee Stars ‘while taking whiskey’
By Joel Sang, June 23, 2023Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has slammed his critics, whom he says have no idea what challenges the team always undergoes.
After posting a win and a loss in the recently concluded Four-Nations tournament in Mauritius, Firat came under renewed criticism, but the tactician looks unbothered by those critics.
Loudest critics
“There are those who relax in their houses and watch television while sipping whiskey. They are the loudest critics of the national team, but they have no idea what obstacles we face or what it takes to win games.
“Another group is constantly questioning selection criteria and why some of the players they believe are good have been left out of the squad,” Firat told a local publication.
His selection criteria has always been targeted by critics, but the coach said he always picks up the players for national duty based on their ability to perform under pressure.
“This country has more than 500 players that are eligible to play for the national team. However, there are currently just a few openings. This demands that we only choose the best candidates who can handle the demands and pressures of the big stage.
“What they should understand is that everyone sees things differently. Whoever you think is a good player may not be a good fit for my coaching system. As the coach, I am aware of players who can benefit the team,” he added.
The former Moldova coach said he was recently approached by a fan who wanted an explanation why Gor Mahia’s defender Dennis Ng’ang’a does not always get call-ups.
“For instance, I’ve heard it said that Gor Mahia centre-back Dennis Ng’ang’a deserves a spot on the national team since he has performed admirably in the Kenyan Premier League this entire season.
“What many don’t seem to realise is that the national team already has a ton of great players in that position, like David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng, Brian Mandela, John Okumu, and Johnstone Omurwa,” Firat continued.
Building competitive Stars
While defending the team’s recent performance, Firat reiterated his long-term goal of building a competitive Harambee Stars.
“I’m aware there are a lot of questions being asked about our performance in the just concluded Four-Nations tournament in Mauritius. We are still in the process of building a team, and we are about to start reaping the fruits,” the tactician continued.
Harambee Stars do not have a permanent training base, and they always have to scramble for Moi International Sports Complex in Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium. Firat is not impressed by this habit.
“We keep shifting bases because public facilities such as Moi Stadium, Kasarani Stadium, and Nyayo Stadium are usually overbooked. They are used by other national teams, including rugby and athletics,” the Turkish coach concluded.
Since FIFA lifted its suspension, Kenya have played three games, the first of which was against Iran on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, and lost 2-1 in Tehran.
A 1-0 win over Pakistan – a game in which Kakamega Homeboyz’s Moses Shummah scored his debut Harambee Stars’ goal – and a 1-0 loss to Mauritius are the other two games.
Although the performance of the national side have not been impressive, Kenyans hope that they will secure a ticket to the Africa Cup of Nations after missing the last edition in Cameroon. There will be Afcon finals in Ivory Coast in January and February 2024, but Kenya did not get the chance to contest for a ticket given the FIFA ban.
Harambee Stars are expected to take part in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, and they will be hunting for a maiden ticket to the global showpiece.