Firat under fire over Harambee Stars selection

Harambee Stars Turkish coach Engin Firat has come under heavy criticism for leaving out Gor Mahia, Tusker and AFC Leopards players for next month's international friendly matches against Qatar and South Sudan.

On Monday, Firat named a 24-man provisional squad that did not have any player from record league champions Gor, last season's runners-up Tusker and AFC Leopards.

Stars will play 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar away on September 7 then host South Sudan on September 12.

Qatar are ranked 59th in the Fifa rankings while South Sudan are at position 167. Kenya's Harambee Stars are ranked 105th.

Kenya Police is the only local club with a huge chunk of players with midfielder Kenneth Muguna, forward Elvis Rupia, custodian Patrick Matasi and defenders David "Cheche" Ochieng and Aboud Omar all named in the squad.

Majority of the players in Firat's provisional squad ply their trade in foreign leagues.

Kenya Football Coaches Association (Kefoca) chairman Bob Oyugi told Nation Sport that time has come for football lovers to speak so that Firat is not allowed to continue sinking Stars.

"What he has done shows that he doesn't have extensive understanding of his role with the national team. The selection of players in the national team is now becoming a joke and as a football stakeholder, I can’t accept this," said Oyugi.

The veteran coach added that Firat should be taken to task over his coaching credentials because he has not achieved anything worthy with Harambee Stars since his appointment in 2021.

"We need to be told how the appointment of this coach was arrived at because he has no record of success. What has Firat shown or done that local coaches can't do?" posed Oyugi.

"Previous selections were questionable and this one too. What is being considered in naming a national team players if not players performance and those of their teams," he added.

Gor Mahia legend Maurice Ochieng 'Sonyi' told Nation Sport that even during his playing time in the 70s, K'Ogalo, Ingwe or Breweries (now Tusker) never missed a player in the national team.

"That selection is not right. Gor won the league, Tusker were runners-up, Leopards have also signed some good players. Which criteria was used to leave them out?" asked Ochieng.

"That coach should be told the truth because I still follow football and those foreign players he has included in the squad are not anywhere better than the local players," he added.

Some local coaches who didn't want to be quoted also dismissed the squad saying many key players were left out.

The South Sudan and Qatar friendly matches come after Harambee Stars participated in a Four Nations Tournament held in Mauritius in June.

Kenya recorded only one win in the tournament after beating Pakistan 1-0 but fell with a similar scoreline to Mauritius.

On March 28, Harambee Stars also lost 2-1 to Iran in another international friendly match staged in Tehran.

Provisional squad

Goalkeepers

Ian Otieno (Zesco, Zambia), Bryne Odhiambo (KCB), Patrick Matasi (Kenya Police FC)

Defenders

Collins Shichenje (AIK, Sweden), Joseph Okumu (Stade Reims, France), Brian Mandela (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Johnstone Omurwa (Estrela, Portugal), David Ochieng (Kenya Police), Daniel Anyembe (Viborg, Denmark), Eric Ouma (AIK, Sweden), Amos Nondi (Ararat, Armenia), Abud Omar (Kenya Police)

Midfielders

Richard Odada (AaB, Denmark), Teddy Akumu (Sagan Tosu, Japan), Kenneth Muguna (Kenya Police), Timothy Ouma (IF Elfsborg, Sweden), Duke Abuya (Singida Fountain Gate, Tanzania), Abdallah Hasan (Bandari), Ayub Masika (Nanjing City Football Club, China), Alfred Scriven (IL Hødd, Norway)

Forwards

Moses Shummah (Kakamega Homeboyz), Elvis Rupia (Kenya Police), Michael Olunga (Al Duhail, Qatar), Masud Juma (Al Jabalain, Saudi Arabia)