Boniface Ambani says Engin Firat luckiest coach to ever handle Harambee Stars

Despite the Confederation of African Football (CAF) picking East African neighbours Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania to host the eighth edition of the biennial association football tournament featuring national teams consisting of players currently playing in their respective local leagues, the three nations were put in the draws for the qualifiers.

The tournament will take place from 1st to 28th February 2025 and it will be the first time being hosted in three countries. In the draw conducted at the CAF headquarters in Cairo on Wednesday, October 9th, Kenya were handed South Sudan in the qualifiers, and in the first leg meeting played at Juba National Stadium on Sunday, October 27th, they suffered a 2-0 defeat.

Immediately after the defeat, an agitated Firat questioned the African body’s decision in an interview with Flashscore by saying: “It does not make sense for me especially if you know these are professional players who are used to playing for something but now, they have nothing to play for.

“This is not something little, it is the most important thing in sport, to have something to play (for) and if you are a normal person, it affects you mentally.

"You know you have a match at the weekend so you don’t want to get injured so everything affects you. Therefore, these kinds of matches do not make sense for me. I cannot say the players benefited, how? I do not understand.”

Firat continued: “We had only one training session before the game and if you are 2-0 down you have nothing to lose anymore, therefore, we took all risks and tried but again you have to see that South Sudan pressed more but my boys were physically down in the last 20 minutes.”

Where did Kenya hire Firat from?

In a strong statement while responding to Firat’s claims, Ambani, who played for a number of Kenyan Premier League clubs including AFC Leopards and Tusker before hanging his boots, believes the Turkish tactician was out of order because the qualifiers were a good build for the team as they prepare to host the tournament.

Ambani further termed Firat as the luckiest coach to have ever handled Harambee Stars because of how he had managed to maintain his job despite a series of unconvincing results.

”Where did we hire this coach from? If you don't get these matches you complain, when the matches are given you still complain,” said Ambani in a statement obtained by Flashscore.

“You’re the luckiest coach I have ever seen. You’ve been given virtually everything. You should have been around during our days. I don’t know what you could be saying.

"Just leave the role if you ain’t comfortable with it, stop giving Kenyans pain.”

In the history of Kenyan football, Harambee Stars has gone through 39 coaches since 1961, with seven being in charge since 2015. Firat took charge of Kenya on October 7th, 2021, and among his success is guiding the team to the Four Nation tournament trophy in Malawi where they beat Zimbabwe 3-1 in the final.

Ambani, who was the top scorer in KPL for the 2006 season with 20 goals for Tusker, continued: “Let me give you (Firat) some lessons. These matches will give you time to access your squad, these are build-up matches towards 2024 CHAN and 2027 AFCON qualifiers. You’ll be able to know and understand your players better.

“Who can perform under intense pressure and who cannot, who is fit and who isn’t. You’ll build confidence, mental strength, etc in those players. Newly capped players, this is their chance to feel the heat for playing for the national team. Come on. Get beaten, come back and organise your squad. Draw and then start winning.”

Former international Elijah Onsika echoed Ambani’s sentiments by telling Flashscore: “This coach doesn’t have the right coaching skills and we don't have a future in the game as long as he's the coach.

"He’s been given more support and time than any other coach but there is nothing to show for the time and resources provided.”

Onsika continued: "Firat should just resign and let FKF deploy our best local coaches, who are totally passionate with the nation’s badge. Firat has no targets, no plan, he should by now be talking of winning the CHAN which will uplift our league.”

Firat to ring changes in return leg

The former Moldova coach has vowed to make changes to the starting XI when they face the Bright Stars in the return leg on Friday, November 1st.

“We’ll be giving some fresh faces a chance during the second leg. This match will allow us to see what new players can bring to the team,” Firat said as quoted by The Star.

“We have to bring better results, we are going out for a win in this second leg regardless of whether it makes a difference or not.”

Tusker striker Ryan Ogam, who is currently among the top scorers in the league with five goals and missed the first leg in Juba, has been drafted into the squad for the must-win return leg.

Besides the CECAFA Zone which will have four teams, all the other Zones COSAFA, WAFU A, WAFU B, UNAF and UNIFFAC have been allocated three teams in the competition.

Uganda has qualified six times from the seven Editions of the CHAN competitions that have been held since 2009. Rwanda have qualified four times, while Sudan and Ethiopia have each qualified for CHAN three times.

Kenya's squad:

Goalkeepers: Byrne Odhiambo (Bandari), Faruk Shikalo (KCB)

Defenders: Abud Omar (Kenya Police FC), Siraj Mohammed (Bandari), Ian Karani (Kariobangi Sharks), David Ochieng (Kenya Police FC), Sylvester Owino (Gor Mahia), Daniel Sakari (Kenya Police FC), Charles Momanyi (Tusker FC)

Midfielders: Ronney Onyango (Gor Mahia), Marvin Nabwire (Kenya Police FC), Issa Lumumba (Ulinzi Stars), Fidel Origa (Bandari), Chrispine Erambo (Tusker FC), Vincent Owino (Nairobi City Stars), Caleb Olilo (Posta Rangers), Austine Odhiambo (Gor Mahia), Mooitian Leshan (Ulinzi Stars)

Forwards: Patrick Otieno (KCB), Ryan Ogam (Tusker FC), Moses Shuma (Kakamega Homeboyz), Francis Kahiro (KCB)