Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat praised Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports Ababu Namwamba for his passion and zeal in transforming the sporting landscape.The Turkish coach arrived in Kenya in 2021, just before Namwamba’s appointment as Sports CS in September 2022.Less than two years later, their efforts to transform Kenyan football are bearing fruit.Firat boasts of reviving Harambee Stars under his leadershipKnown for his blunt proclamations and candid observations, Firat noted that working with Namwamba makes him enjoy his stay in Kenya.He explained that Namwamba is a problem solver and easy to approach.“Now, we have a Sports Minister who wants to change things, who comes with ideas. I have someone to whom I can tell my problems, and he listens and looks for solutions,” Firat said.As it happened: Engin Firat mad as Harambee Stars are forced to play away from homeFirat, who served on Eintracht Frankfurt’s technical bench and as a scout in the Bundesliga between 2000 and 2002, was excited to find a new home in Kenya.Since taking over the team, Firat has been working tirelessly to propel the team to greatness. His first major assignment with the team was at the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Mali, both away and home, on October 8 and October 12, 2021.Kenya recorded a dismal performance against the West African nation, suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat at home before ending their run with a 5-0 defeat in the away fixture.##NAJAVA_MECA_8123999##The matches provided Firat with a golden opportunity to gauge the strengths of his players. Since then, their performance has gradually improved.They drew 1-1 with Uganda and registered a morale-boosting 2-1 win against Rwanda in Kigali in the same qualifiers.Despite Kenya’s disqualification from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers due to a Fifa ban, Firat guided the team during an international friendly against Iran, where they lost 2-1.In 2023, the team achieved remarkable feats.They started strong in March, dominating the Four Nations Cup in Malawi.Still making sacrifices: Firat discloses delayed salariesThey secured a convincing 4-0 win against the host nation and went on to thrash Zimbabwe 3-1 in the final.Kenya’s success continued with a resounding 5-0 victory over Seychelles in a crucial World Cup qualifier last November.This win, achieved on away soil, further solidified their performance under Firat.As one of the hosts for the 2027 AFCON, Kenya automatically qualifies for the tournament.This situation grants Firat ample time to refine his team’s strategy and build a strong unit for the continental championship.
