Africa-Press – Kenya. Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has appealed for patience as he meticulously sculpts a winning team.
In an exclusive interview on Thursday, Firat censured fans who repeatedly berate and disparage the national team’s performance.
“There are those who relax in their houses and watch television while sipping whiskey. They are the loudest critics of the national team, but they have no idea what obstacles we face or what it takes to win games,” Firat said sarcastically.
He criticised some quarters for constantly slamming his choice of players, saying such an obsession is detrimental to the team’s growth.
“Another group is constantly questioning selection criteria and why some of the players they believe are good have been left out of the squad,” he said.
“What they should understand is that everyone sees things differently. Whoever you think is a good player may not be a good fit for my coaching system. As the coach, I am aware of players who can benefit the team.”
Firat claimed he is always bombarded with requests from all quarters to give certain players their first national team call-ups.
“This country has more than 500 players that are eligible to play for the national team. However, there are currently just a few openings. This demands that we only choose the best candidates who can handle the demands and pressures of the big stage,” Firat revealed.
He said a fan recently approached him and questioned why he had deliberately turned a blind eye to Gor Mahia’s industrious centre-back Dennis Ng’ang’a, who has been impressive this season.
“For instance, I’ve heard it said that Gor Mahia centre-back Dennis Ng’ang’a deserves a spot on the national team since he has performed admirably in the Kenyan Premier League this entire season,” he said.
“What many don’t seem to realise is that the national team already has a ton of great players in that position, like David “Cheche” Ochieng, Brian Mandela, John Okumu and Johnstone Omurwa.”
The Turkish gaffer said he has faith in his current crop of players, to shine and deliver the desired results on the big stage.
“I’m aware there are a lot of questions being asked about our performance in the just concluded Four-Nations tournament in Mauritius. We are still in the process of building a team and we are about to start reaping the fruits,” Firat said.
Meanwhile, Firat has said there is a need to identify a permanent training facility for Harambee Stars.
“We keep shifting base because public facilities such as Moi Stadium, Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium are usually overbooked. They are used by other national teams including rugby and athletics,” he observed.
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