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Engin Firat's future as Harambee Stars coach looks unclear following the side's failiure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, and Mulee has now opined who he thinks should be considered to take over the job.
Former Harambee Stars head coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee has weighed in on the future of the national team, recommending Salim Babu as a potential replacement for Engin Firat.
Mulee's comments come in the wake of Kenya's failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a disappointing qualification campaign.
Kenya had initially been hopeful when drawn into Group J of the qualification stages, alongside Cameroon, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Many believed that the team, under Firat's guidance, would make it to Morocco, especially after their last AFCON appearance in 2019.
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However, the team's aspirations were dashed after consecutive defeats to Cameroon and a damaging 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe on November 15, sealing their fate.
Despite Firat's optimistic outlook, Kenya's qualification hopes came to an abrupt end as Zimbabwe secured the final spot from the group, joining Cameroon in the 2025 AFCON.
With uncertainty surrounding Firat’s future, Mulee has urged the Football Federation to consider investing in local coaching talent, particularly Babu, who has proven his mettle at both club and international levels.
Babu got Nzoia Sugar into an unprecedented title challenge in the 2023/2024 season, when they finished fourth in the league. He also got Kenya Police to finish a respectable third place position after taking the job over from Zdravko Logarusic in January of this year, as well as clinch the FKF Cup and a ticket to the CAF Confederation Cup qualifiers. Not to mention the historic AFCON U-20 qualification achievement.
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Engin Firat exuded confidence after Kenya topped their AFCON qualification group, sending a warning to Andre Onana and Cameroon, but once results went haywire, he became defensive.
“Salim Babu has done incredibly well, not just with the U-20 side but also with Kenya Police. He helped the U-18 team reach the CECAFA final and has led the U-20s to qualify for the AFCON. His success with Kenya Police in continental football is a testament to his ability to work with what he has and get results,” Mulee said during a recent interview with TV 47.
Mulee further highlighted the importance of local coaches who understand the unique challenges facing Kenyan football.
He expressed frustration with the Federation's tendency to favor international coaches like Firat, despite his less-than-impressive record of only three wins in 15 competitive matches. According to Mulee, local coaches are more equipped to navigate the systemic issues that have hindered the development of the sport in Kenya.
“I’ve always believed in investing in local talent. Local coaches are realistic and can work with the resources available. The problems in Kenyan football are not foreign to us, and it is the local coaches who can offer practical solutions,” Mulee argued.
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Mulee’s remarks also brought to light the past controversies surrounding local coaches’ treatment, particularly his experience in 2020 when he took over the Harambee Stars job.
He recalled a conversation with Francis Kimanzi, who had been dismissed despite impressive results, including a notable win over Zambia in October of the same year. Mulee’s critique of the Federation's inconsistent treatment of local coaches raises important questions about the priorities in Kenyan football administration.
“The administrators need to facilitate the coaches, not dictate to them,” Mulee said. “We need to bring experienced coaches together—myself, Francis Kimanzi, Robert Matano—and come up with a shared vision for Kenyan football. Coaches who understand the country’s challenges are the ones who can create lasting solutions.”
With Mulee’s call for local leadership in mind, Salim Babu now stands as a key figure in the debate over Kenya’s football future.
If appointed, Babu could usher in a new era for Harambee Stars, grounded in understanding and addressing the local context of the game.
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