Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat flew to his country on Wednesday 20 November, days after failing to guide the team to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals.While the team flew to Nairobi, Firat and his assistants took a flight to Turkey.Firat said he has a lot to do between now and January when he is expected to resume work with the team.##NAJAVA_MECA_8514984##“I will take just a few days with my family in Turkey and then beginning preparing for next year. I am looking at the possibility of playing in a four nation tournament early in the year especially for the Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) team,” he said.Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will host the tournament from 28 January to 28 February, 2025.On Tuesday Firat said he is uncertain of whether he will continue with his job going into the new year (2025).This is because a decision regarding his future would have to wait until January 2025, weeks following the scheduled December 7 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections.CS Murkomen confirms ‘sacking’ of Harambee Stars coachFirat spoke immediately after his team’s AFCON Qualifiers’ drab draw with Namibia at Polokwane, a result that meant Kenya failed to qualify for the biennial continental tournament , and also closed out the year on a six-match winless run.Responding to Mozzart Sports’ question on whether he still wished to continue with his job, Firat said: “So I spoke with President Nick Mwendwa. If he continues, or Doris Petra, so this means his team, then we will sit down and make a program for the next year. We have some targets which we want to do, including a tournament in Nairobi and so forth. We are prepared for everything, but it’s all football.”He also leveraged on his contract, “First of all, we need to wait for what will be at the election. I also have a contract, and that’s also the reality.”Triple nominations for Kenya’s U-17 team at CAF awardsFirat added that he would still need a few things sorted out to continue, stating: “There are a lot of things which I say we need to get better at. It depends on how we can also solve.” Without a set deadline, he said: “This means I think in January when everything (including elections) is finished, I can give you an answer.”
