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Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat has explained why he has taken an intentional approach to blood young players into the team.
Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat believes the future of Kenya’s national football team is very promising, following a series of mostly positive results over the last nine months.
Since FIFA lifted the ban on the country’s football last November, Kenya has played 15 matches, winning seven and losing only three.
Firat has focused on integrating young players into the team, aiming to build a competitive squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Under Firat’s tenure, Kenya has witnessed the emergence of several young talents breaking into the Harambee Stars squad, including Ronney Onyango, Alphonce Omija, Geoffrey Ochieng, Amos Wanjala, Chrispine Erambo, and Sylvester Owino.
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These players have shown great potential and are poised to play significant roles in the team’s future success.
Engin Firat’s approach to managing the Harambee Stars has not only brought immediate positive results but also laid a solid foundation for the future.
By focusing on young, local talent and providing them with opportunities to excel, Firat is shaping a team that could achieve great things in the years to come. The Harambee Stars’ journey under Firat’s leadership is one to watch, as they aim to make a significant impact in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations and beyond.
In an interview with SportsBoom.com, Firat, who has previously worked with clubs such as Eintracht Frankfurt and Fenerbahçe, discussed how bringing in fresh talent has revitalized the team he took over from Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee in 2021.
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“If you look clearly at our team now, you will see that most of the players get the first chance to play for the national team with me, and I don’t care how old they are and where they play,” Firat stated.
“We have a lot of examples from Ronney Onyango of Gor Mahia to (Alphonce) Omija, and it doesn’t matter which rival we are playing. When I believe the boy is ready at the moment and he can help the team, he will get his chance.”
Under Firat’s guidance, Kenya won their first trophy since 2017, securing the Four-Nations tournament in Malawi in March by defeating Zimbabwe 3-1 in the final. Firat is optimistic about the future, attributing much of the team’s success to his management style.
“We will leave a team with a big future for Kenya. If you look at the team, nearly 80 to 90 percent are players who either started with me or had finished with the national team but came back because of me.
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“Therefore, I can easily say this is my team, and I am very hopeful that all of them will do great things for the future,” Firat said.
Firat, a graduate of the Sports University in Germany who began his professional career as an assistant coach for German legend Horst Hrubesch at Samsunspor in 1997, emphasized his commitment to giving local players opportunities to shine on the international stage.
“There are not so many coaches in Africa who give local players many chances like me,” Firat noted.
“I believe in these boys, and I am sure with the technical staff together, these boys will do a good job. For us, the most important thing is that these boys will be ready for the next task, which is to help our national team reach great heights.”
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