FOOTBALL Firat explains not including AFC Leopards and Tusker players in Harambee Stars squad

The Harambee Stars head coach defended his decision not to include players from AFC Leopards and Tusker in his latest squad.

Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat is up in arms after fans were quick to probe why he only called up one player from the country’s three biggest football clubs AFC Leopards, Tusker, and Gor Mahia to the provisional squad. 

K’Ogalo’s creative midfielder Austin Odhiambo was the only player called up to the squad, albeit as a late addition, while Benson Omala, Sylvester Owino, and Boniface Omondi, who were part of the previous camp, were left out from the squad entirely.

There were no AFC Leopards players called up to camp, while Tusker trio of Brian Bwire, Daniel Sakari and Joseph Mwangi were dropped from the squad after making the plane to Mauritius in June.

Firat, who has developed a reputation for wearing his heart on his sleeve, was quick to defend his decisions, sarcastically saying that ‘he did not understand football’ despite the fact the club’s respective coaches all unanimously agreed that their players would need the international break to get their fitness levels up

“Let us say I know nothing about football. As a normal football fan, you watch games and you read newspapers, right?” Firat rhetorically asked.

“I respect the minds of people and everyone has their favorite players. No problem for me, but I will never discuss players here because it will never end and everyone has different ideas.

“So, ‘Our fitness is not at the right place. If we work on fitness we will get better'. Who said this? The coach of AFC Leopards.

“‘I think it is going to be nice to have the international break to really get the boys up and to be 100 percent sharp.’ Who said this? The coach of Gor Mahia.

“It was important to win this game but it was far from a convincing performance. Who said this? The coach of Tusker.

“The central defender Kibwage (Mike) after the Sharks game? ‘It is time to improve our fitness.’ 

“And I said to myself, ‘Man, I have no clue about football but something is wrong here. So people are telling me that the clubs are not happy and they are saying they are not ready and need time to get ready, but somehow, they are ready for international (matches)? Please explain it!”

Firat asked the media and fans to ‘stop throwing dirt’ at the decisions he makes, and learn to look at the bright side of things.

“I am trying to make you understand that it does not work to throw dirt at somebody and hope something will maybe happen.

“What I asked from the beginning is to have a relationship where you can ask whatever you want. If there are some secrets, I cannot tell some but the rest I will tell.

“Why not ask something fruitful, about young players? Like what is the situation, what do you think about Stanley (Wilson’s) future, about tactics? These are things you can write in your papers in a fruitful way. This will create good relations and maybe other countries in Africa will look at us positively."

“But always, it is throwing dirt. Throw darts in a way that is logical. I do not see logic in these things.”

Harambee Stars are due to play Qatar on September 7, before playing South Sudan five days later.