Stars’ tactician Firat’s headache in selecting players ahead of their friendly with Burundi
By Charles.Thuku, February 14, 2023After a lengthy period of inactivity in Kenyan football was occasioned by Kenya’s indefinite ban by the world football governing body Fifa over the government’s interference in the game, the national football team Harambee Stars is back in the groove.
This time, it will be in the form of a friendly match against the Burundian national team, Intamba Murugamba (Swallows) in Nairobi between March 25 and 28 at Nyayo National Stadium.
Stars returnee coach Engin Firat has his work cut out in selecting a squad that has been bereft of scouts who would easily identify players who deserve to don the national team jersey.
It’s discernible that there is still a plethora of talent in the local clubs but the talking point is just what kind of material that deserves to be in the national team.
Firat has not been around ever since he replaced Jacob “Ghost”Mulee on a two-month contract with his last assignment being the 2022 World Cup qualifier against Mali where Harambee Stars faltered disapprovingly against the Hawks in a 6-0 aggregate loss to eventually bow out of the qualifiers of the event that was held in Cameroon.
During Firat’s appointment, FKF boss Nick Mwendwa said the Turkish coach who has previously coached Moldova would be in charge of the final four matches of Harambee Stars’ FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Local coaches
“We looked at the situation we are in right now and decided we bring someone who is going to take us through these qualifiers and then after, we can look at whether we will engage them for a longer period or we will get someone else,” Mwendwa said as he introduced the new coach.
But experience aside, Firat will perhaps need the expertise of local coaches, who have been around since the onset of the league, to identify players who fit the bill in the national team ahead of the friendly match against Burundi.