•The Turkish gaffer has come under fire from impatient fans who are now casting aspersions on his credentials and potential to steer the team to the desired heights.
•The latest bout of frustrations stems from the lackadaisical show that the national team exhibited in the Four-Nations tournament in Mauritius a fortnight ago.
Image: FILE
In the past couple of days, incensed fans have ruthlessly lobbed barbs at Harambee Stars' head coach Engin Firat, likely causing him sleepless nights.
The Turkish gaffer has come under fire from impatient fans who are now casting aspersions on his credentials and potential to steer the team to the desired heights.
Whereas some of them reckon Firat is clueless, others have snidely referred to his style of play as colourless, a clear indication they are fed up and want him out as soon as possible.
The latest bout of frustrations stems from the lackadaisical show that the national team exhibited in the Four-Nations tournament in Mauritius a fortnight ago.
The Kenyan lads kicked off their campaign on a passionate note with a hard-fought win over Pakistan on Monday before they came crashing 1-0 to hosts Mauritius in their final encounter on Sunday.
Of course, fans like everybody else have a right to register their displeasure whenever they feel dissatisfied with the performance of the national teams.
However, all criticisms ought to be objective and should never be laced with any sort of malice. The critics should also be in a position to offer solutions.
Harambee Stars have indeed been a thorn in the flesh of Kenyan football enthusiasts for a long time now, especially in recent years. They are yet to bring home a trophy since 2017 when Kenya last won the regional Cecafa football showpiece.
Their best performance was in 2021 when they secured a berth in the African Cup of Nations hosted in Egypt. Even there, they got bundled out in the preliminary stages and only managed to win one match against neighbouring Tanzania.
It is encouraging to note that Harambee Stars have inaugurated a major rebuilding campaign following a long period of inactivity on the international stage, sparked by the Covid-19 virus and a Fifa ban imposed in February 2020.
Anyone who has coached a team at any level will appreciate the fact that it takes a great deal of time and effort to mold a winning outfit.
Earlier in the year, coach Firat acknowledged the vast challenges he and other coaches have had to contend with in the country.
In addition to the poor state of the training facilities, funds aren't forthcoming, and nobody seems willing to listen to any suggestions, he said.
With only three days of training before the tournament, it would have been absurd for anyone to expect the team to post any meaningful results in Mauritius.
Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa himself acknowledged the importance of setting aside adequate time for all the national teams to sharpen their talons before major assignments.
It is also worth noting that the squad that traveled to Mauritius largely comprised new and inexperienced fledglings drawn from sides plying trade on the local top-flight stage.
Firat clearly explained the situation, saying he was forced to tinker with the lineup because most of the foreign-based players were unavailable for duty owing to club engagements.
Under such circumstances, it would be outrageous for anyone to expect mana from heaven. What we need to do as patriots is to give Harambee Stars adequate time to rise from the ashes of the ravenous Covid-19 pandemic and the harsh reality of a year-long Fifa ban.
Measures must also be put in place to establish the right structures necessary to propel the team to unchartered heights. Success is not attained in a vacuum.