•The selected players will sharpen their talons in a string of friendly matches, beginning with two against the Swallows of Burundi later this month.
•Firat added that all the foreign players he wants to play against Burundi have already received invitations.
Image: FILE
Harambee Stars head coach, Engin Firat has said he is compiling a stellar roster of players who will sport the national colours in future assignments.
Firat, 52, pledged to introduce a few unexpected call-ups from overseas leagues.
The selected players will sharpen their talons in a string of friendly matches, beginning with two against the Swallows of Burundi later this month. The games are scheduled for March 25 and 28 in Nairobi.
The Turkish gaffer stated he had so far identified five players with foreign addresses who had shown the potential to ply trade on the international stage.
"In the next few days, we will have finished the process and released the names," Firat said.
“I have some surprise call-ups this time around. In total and for the long term, I am looking to work with five foreign-based players who have never featured for the country in any assignment," he added.
Yet he claimed that for the forthcoming matches against Burundi, he would only deploy two of them. He, however, declined to reveal their identities.
"Only two of them will be ready for the match against Burundi. One we are sorting out his passport while another has to renew his,” Firat added.
Firat added that all the foreign players he wants to play against Burundi have already received invitations.
"We have previously invited them, as required by FIFA regulations, at least 14 days in advance. For the local players, we continue to assess those we have because we want to examine as many as possible."
He said the friendlies will help the team to polish up their act ahead of major continental assignments.
“It is important to keep the team engaged, to keep working so that we can play at a good level when we return.”
William Muluya, head coach of the Kariobangi Sharks, has been officially named Firat's assistant. Ken Odhiambo, a former head coach of Sofapaka, has also been added to the technical bench in a similar capacity.
Firat, who was handed a three-year contract, has at least eight months to evaluate the players who will propel the country to the Africa Cup of Nations and a possible maiden World Cup appearance.
The Stars are back on the international stage after being out in the cold for nearly a year due to a ban imposed by Fifa, the world football governing body, in February of last year.
Fifa suspended the FKF, citing third-party interference after local authorities shut down the governing body last year over corruption allegations.
However, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba announced in November that the federation would be reinstated, but warned former president Nick Mwendwa, who is facing corruption charges, not to return to the FKF until the case was resolved.