Kenya’s poor infrastructure concerns Firat
By Dennis Mabuka, September 12, 2023Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat has maintained the performance of the national team can get even better if the government improves infrastructure in the country.
In an exclusive interview with People Sports, the 53-year-old Turkish tactician stated those criticising the team whenever they perform dismally should also be concerned with the state of the facilities available for the team to use for training.
Firat gave an example of “a little Qatar” country, whom he said are way much better with professional venues, and wondered why Kenyans could blame him or his players whenever Harambee Stars gets a bad result.
“This is the reality, and I would like you to make news about it, why a little country like Qatar has got around 100 professional fields, (this means like a carpet), they have everything professional inside the venues, there is ice making machine, top modern massage machine, everything is there inside, while in Kenya we are in such a poor situation,” a tough-talking Firat told People Sports.
He added: “What puzzles me most even is when we are forced to wait to access the venues we have (in the country for training), even the money from the government has to be paid to these people in Kasarani, who in the end are people from the government, so they can let us in and they want us even to be happy when we come to train, like on Monday we were supposed to play a friendly but nobody cares because the venue was not ready.”
Firat further wondered why people were questioning his tactics instead of addressing the issue of infrastructure in the country.
“Half of the teams in Nairobi are playing at Kasarani and am wondering how people even think they go out there and challenge rivalry with other countries, am wondering why people talk about tactics when they cannot address infrastructure,” said Firat adding: “That is our football reality whether they like it or not, only talk and nothing happens, talk about Pep Guardiola, talk about how stupid I am and we don’t have even one field (with professional standards), all Nairobi is playing on this field.”
Firat’s comments came just two days after Harambee Stars returned from Qatar where they managed to defeat the 2022 World Cup hosts 2-1 in a friendly at Al Janoub Stadium. Kenya are using the build-ups as part of their preparations for upcoming competitive assignment, the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers where they are pooled in Group F alongside Seychelles, Burundi, Gambia, Gabon, and Ivory Coast.