Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat (left) with skipper Michael Olunga during their 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Rwanda at the Nyayo National Stadium on November 15, 2021.
Engin Firat will on Friday take charge of his 21st international match with Harambee Stars coach when the team faces Zimbabwe in their key 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group “J” qualifier at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, Limpopo province, South Africa.
In the more than three years that the 54-year-old Turk, a Uefa Pro License holder, has been coach of the team, he has called up over 50 players as he searched for formidable Kenya XI.
Few have earned his trust including three local based players, goalkeeper Byrne Odhiambo (Bandari) and midfielders Ronney Onyango and Austine Odhaimbo of Gor Mahia.
Onyango, 23, who plays both right-back and right-winger, has never lost his place in Firat’s starting lineup since he made his national debut in their 2-2 draw with Russia in a friendly match in Turkey on October 16 last year.
The Turkish coach has often heaped praise on Onyango’s performance, saying his future is bright. Since goalkeeper Odhiambo, 27, recovered from an ankle injury that he suffered in Kenya’s friendly match against Russia, he has been the team’s preferred first-choice custodian.
Many were thus surprised when Firat dropped him for the experienced but erratic Patrick Matasi in their first encounter against Cameroon in Doula on 11.
Kenya lost 4-1 with the Kenya Police goalkeeper shouldering much of the blame after committing several costly errors. In the reverse fixture three days later at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala in Uganda, Odhaimbo returned between the sticks to let in one goal in a 1-0 defeat.
The Bandari custodian is likely to start in the matches against Zimbabwe and Namibia with Faruk Shikalo and Brain Bwire available as substitutes.
Since Gor’s attacking midfielder Odhiambo made peace with Firat in May, he has become a regular call up.
The 2023/24 Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) Most Valuable Player captained Kenyan and scored the goal in their 1-1 draw with South Sudan in the reverse fixture of the first round of their 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) in Kampala on November 3.
Firat, who has publicly questioned the quality of players in the Kenyan Premier League has prioritised selecting foreign-based, several with Kenyan roots.
Captain Michael Olunga has started in all of Kenya’s matches under Firat except for the first-leg matches against Zimbabwe and Namibia - where Kenya drew 0-0 and won 1-0 respectively, due to injury.
Firat did confess that the Al-Duhail striker was one of the best players he has ever coached. Defenders Daniel Anyembe (Viborg, Denmark), Joseph Okumu (Reims, France), Eric Ouma (Raków Częstochowa, Poland) and midfielders Anthony Akumu (Kheybar Khorramabad, Iran), Richard Odada (Dundee United, Scotland) and Duke Abuya (Yanga SC, Tanzania), striker Masoud Juma (Al-Jabalain, Saudi Arabia) have also earned the trust of Firat.
Strikers Jonah Ayunga (St Mirren FC, Scotland) and John Avire (Egypt) have also been regularly involved with the Stars since their call-ups early this year. Avire scored a beautiful goal in Kenya’s 2-1 win over Namibia.
The starting line-up for Friday will likely come from these players
