Is Firat Harambee Stars true Messiah?

Most Kenyans criticised the appointment of Engin Firat as Harambee Stars coach on September 19, 2021. This is because he had yet to register a single win as tactician of the Moldovan national team in the 11 matches he oversaw.

However, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) offered the 53-year-old Turk a two-month contract, to lead the team in their remaining four 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers after it parted ways with coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee.

FKF boss Nick Mwendwa then said that they would only engage Firat for a longer term if he guided Kenya to a top-place finish in Group "E" that comprised Mali, Rwanda, and Uganda.

In his first match as Stars coach, hosts Mali hammered Kenya 5-0 at Agadir Stadium in Morocco.

The Turk took responsibility for the huge loss and apologised to furious Kenyans.

In the return leg at Nyayo National Stadium, an improved Stars lost 1-0 and later drew 1-1 with hosts Uganda.

Firat then guided Kenya to a 2-1 win over Rwanda in their last pool match at the Nyayo Stadium.

Despite having expressed interest in continuing with the job, Firat was forced to return back home after the FKF Caretaker Committee, which was then running football activities in the country, declined to extend his contract.

He came back to Kenya on March 1 last year following the reinstatement of the disbanded FKF by Sports CS Ababu Namwamba on November 4, 2022.

FKF extended Firat’s contract for three years to 2026, with the move again opposed by most Kenyans. A year on, Firat has continued to ease some pressure off his shoulders by guiding Stars to a handful of wins, the latest being their 3-1 win over the Warriors of Zimbabwe to win the Four-Nation tournament at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi on Tuesday.

Read: Olunga on the hat-trick as Harambee Stars win Four Nations tourney

He has now guided Kenya to six wins in 14 matches that he has overseen, losing six and drawing twice.

In the last three matches, goal-shy Stars have scored a whopping 12 goals.

Before Kenya hammered Malawi 4-0 in their opening match of the Four-Nation tournament last Saturday, they had thrashed Seychelles 5-0 in November last year in their Group "F," 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Against Zimbabwe, Kenyan captain Michael Olunga scored a hat-trick while in their matches against Malawi, and Seychelles, he scored a brace.

Firat, who previously praised Olunga as one of the best players he has ever coached, will be hoping the striker can replicate the form in their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Burundi and reigning African champions Cote d’Ivoire in June.

“If all the boys will be ready and we have good preparations, why should we not make a surprise against the biggest teams in Africa?" he posed. 

In their opening match of the pool on November 16 last year, Kenya lost 2-1 to Gabon.

Stars' other wins under Firat include a 1-0 win over Pakistan in another Four-Nation tourney held on June 14 last year in Mauritius. They also defeated hosts Qatar 2-1 in a friendly match on September 7 last year.

Read: Fifa threatens to ban Kenya again over 'interference'

Their other defeats include a 2-1 loss to hosts Iran in a friendly match on March 28, 2023, a 1-0 defeat to hosts Mauritius in the four-nation competition on June 18 last year, and 1-0 to visitors South Sudan in a friendly match on September 12 last year.

They drew 2-2 with Russia in a friendly match at Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey.

Midfielder Richard Odada, defender Daniel Anyembe, and winger Rooney Onyango are some of the players who have become an integral part of the team after being handed their debuts by Firat.

Anyembe, 25, who plays for Danish top-flight side Viborg made his debut in their 2-1 win over Qatar.

Gor Mahia's Onyango has now started in Stars’ last five matches since making his international debut against Russia.