Engin Firat: Unapologetic, brazen and blunt

For a man who has publicly declared to be in serious trouble with his family for doing a job that he is not paid, Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat is always in his true element.

The Turk, whose press briefings are never complete without a projector and writing materials, is never afraid of raffling feathers – whether qualified or not.
He is a straight shooting tactician who uses any opportunity available to take on critics head on.

Stars' 5-0 rout over minnows Pirates of Seychelles last Monday in a Group “F” 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier at the at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire again presented that opportunity and the 53-year-old tactician perfectly seized it.

“Anybody with a little football knowledge knows that if a goalkeeper, right back, left back and three central defenders are missing, it is not only about the quality (of a team) that will go down,” said Firat.

“These players have never played together so it was very difficult for them to pass together, to know where to stay, whatever. This is everything to do with working together and to know each other. You saw in the match against Gabon, we did not pass so well like we did against Russia and Qatar because we had problems opening the game and this is normal. If we could be a full team against Gabon, now we would be with six points. This is the reality and I don’t care what other people are saying but what they boys are doing.”

He was responding to critics after Stars slumped 2-1 to hosts Panthers of Gabon last Thursday in their opening match of the World Cup qualifiers.

In the encounter held at Franceville Stadium in Franceville City, Firat was without several key players including defenders Joseph Okumu, Eric Ouma and Daniel Anyembe due to injuries.

Having always come under heavy criticisms from Kenyans over his poor coaching record, team selection and poor performance with Stars, Firat has never shied away from speaking his mind since “you (Kenyans) like to talk a lot.”

After Kenya held highly ranked Russia 2-2 in a friendly match held at Titanic Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey, the Turk took a swipe at critics. “I know many people expected us to concede six or five goals. I'm happy that we disappointed these people and showed that we are on a good way," said the coach then, also slamming a section of the media and people who questioned his continued exclusion of Omala from the national team.

“Like I said, if somebody is working well, and really deserves to play then he will play. This is what happened with Rooney Onyango, he is not somebody who is pushed by the media or other people, he is only concentrating on football, he is a player with good potential, he is ready to work on it, and therefore I am happy that we won one more player.”

Addressing the press in Nairobi on November 13 before Stars jetted out of the country for the match against Gabon, Firat stated that he has had enough criticism over his previous decision to drop Omala.

“Only because you asked is why I’m showing you this. I am checking every player but I cannot hear this bullshit anymore!” barked the Turk as he played to journalists covering the press conference selected videos of Omala when Gor drew 0-0 with Kenya Police in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) on September 5 at Moi International Sports Centre (MISC), Kasarani.

He said even though Omala is a talented footballer, he has several weaknesses to work on including dribbling and passing.

“Whenever we have a young boy here in the Kenyan league, it is not only Benson but a general problem. Always you put him to the stars telling him he is ready, but he is not. We are in a professional football not social media world, this is a national team so as long as he does not learn it, he will not make it to the international level,” said Firat.

There was an outcry from Kenyans after the coach dropped Omala, who was the league's top scorer with 19 goals from 20 matches, from the Stars’ squad that was preparing to face Iran in a friendly match on March 28.

In his defence, Firat said: “Look around the world, is it a guarantee that if you are a top scorer you will play in the national team?” he posed then.

Only journalists who were on November 13 attending his press briefing for the first time were left guessing what awaited them at Swiss Lenana Mount Hotel's Taifa Hall. The hall was neatly arranged several minutes to the start of the press briefing with a big television connected to a laptop on a table placed on the left while on the right was a white movable writing board.

Even though Firat has not come out to explain why he prefers to have a projector and writing materials around when addressing the press, the reason could be that he wants to prove his critics wrong by backing his points and decisions with evidence.

“This is the only way in modern football that you can have a chance to be ready even if on paper your rival has better players,” Firat told journalists at Swiss Lenana Mount Hotel as he played some video of the Panthers that they had analysed ahead of the match.

Ahead of Kenya’s friendly match with Iran, using a projector, Firat delivered a hard-hitting reality check on the ailing Kenyan football.

His main concern then was why Kenyans were demanding instant good results with the national team yet there is not much to write home about Stars' performance in the past 30 years.

“Everybody talks about winning and about results, but hey! Let us all look at reality!” he yelled while taking the scribes through the material he had prepared and which included diagrams that he was relaying on the screen.

“I honestly don’t understand. If this is our past then why is everyone talking about World Cups, Afcons or whatever,” he posed also lamenting over poor sports infrastructure in the country.

It was the same case before Kenya faced Qatar and South Sudan in friendly matches in September. In defending his decision not to select players from Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and Tusker, Firat played post-match interviews of the teams’ respective coaches where they admitted that their players were not fit.

“AFC, Gor and Tusker coaches had their verdict after their first game of the season and all agreed that their players were not fit. They said this international break will help their players. Please, explain to me how I would have called them to the squad,” he posed.

But in quick rejoinder Tusker’s coach Robert Matano lashed-out at him, saying he does not even consult local coaches when selecting the national team.

In training, players say maximum concentration is key under Firat or else he will come for you. The coach shocked everyone when he substituted Bradford City’s player Clarke Oduor just after 20 minutes in Stars’ 1-0 loss to South Sudan at MISC on September 12. When questioned over the decision, Firat said he felt Oduor was “afraid. It’s as if he has a brake.”

Bradford City’s coach Mark Hughes too was shocked by the decision saying he thought Oduor had picked an injury. Speaking after the match against South Sudan, Firat caused a stir when he has said that Kenya lacks enough creative footballers.

“The reality is that Kenyan football is missing a lot of creative players and players who are really strong in one-on-one situations. We are lacking creativity especially if we play at home. There can sometimes be problems with rivals like South Sudan who play very deep with very strong defenders. It is for me to see, think about matches and what I have to change,” he said, also lamenting over the non-payment of his salary.

"I feel a little bit a lot to be honest because it cannot be that everything is on my shoulders. I organised the friendly match against Iran on phone but for Qatar, you cannot organise by phone, they will not take you seriously. I took our team manager and one more friend there and we met the general secretary. It is always me but I never get any salary and I pay even from my pocket," he lamented.

“Thank God, I have no problem surviving. But I have a problem explaining to my family why I am always away from them yet I don’t get any money. I have a problem explaining to them why I spend my money and time not on them."

The coach had then not been paid since November last year with Sports CS Ababu Namwamba saying that it is because FKF has not furnished his Ministry with his contract. 

But a source at FKF, who requested anonymity for fear of victimization told Nation Sport that the Ministry of Sports has all details of the deal. Firat declined to comment on the matter in the November 13 press briefing.

In one instance where the tactician has shown his soft side, during Stars’ preparation for the friendly matches against Gabon and Seychelles, he video called injured Stars' goalkeeper Bryne Odhiambo so that he alongside the national team players could wish the custodian quick recovery.

Odhiambo is out for two months having fractured his ankle during the friendly match against Russia.