Embattled Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat finally packs his bags

Kenya’s national football team, Harambee Stars, is set for another technical bench overhaul after head coach Engin Firat resigned yesterday, citing unpaid salaries.

The team’s failure to secure a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco and the inability of former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa’s camp to retain the presidency during last weekend’s elections might have also made him throw in the towel.  

The Turkish coach’s resignation marks the end of a challenging three-year tenure marred by underperformance and administrative turmoil.  Reports indicate that part of the terms in his contract required him to get the national team back to the continental showpiece in North Africa next year. Firat was being assisted by Kariobangi Sharks coach William Muluya and Ken Odhiambo with former Kenyan international Jerim Onyango as the goalkeeper trainer.

While confirming the development during his first official press conference at Kandanda House yesterday, newly-elected FKF president Hussein Mohamed promised to act quickly to find Firat’s successor.

End of the road

Firat was expected to handle the team in the 2024 Africa Nations Championships (Chan) to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania on February 1-28, 2025.

“We confirm receipt of a termination letter from the national team coach Engin Firat. The matter has been forwarded to the new FKF Executive Committee for review and deliberation. As you know, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will co-host the Africa Nations Championships next year. It is important we move with speed to put in place a strong team for the competition,” Mohammed said.

He acknowledged Firat’s salary arrears, promising an internal audit to resolve the issue. 

“We will do an internal audit first of his arrears, and once the report comes out, we will deal with the matter. But yes, the grounds of termination are salary arrears,” he explained.

Firat’s time with Harambee Stars was turbulent, with the team’s failure to qualify for Afcon 2025 capping a difficult stint. Kenya finished third in Group J with just three points, behind Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The sole highlight was a 2-1 win over Namibia in September, but it wasn’t enough to secure a ticket to Morocco.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had earlier indicated that Firat would leave as stipulated if Harambee Stars fail to return to Afcon.

“I’ve seen the contract of the Harambee Stars coach. It clearly states that if he doesn’t qualify for Afcon, he should exit. Since he failed to meet the contract’s conditions, if FKF wants to keep him, they must cover his salary with their resources,” Murkomen said.

Since his appointment in October 2021, Firat managed 23 matches, recording seven wins, seven draws, and nine losses, translating to a modest 30% win rate. Only three of those victories came in competitive fixtures, all against lower-ranked teams: Seychelles, Namibia, and Rwanda.

The 54-year-old often faced criticism from Kenyan fans and media for his blunt remarks about the country’s football standards.

Next steps for FKF

Mohamed outlined the federation’s plan to bring in a new coach based on merit, whether local or foreign.

“There is a lot to be done within a short period with limited resources. We will do everything in our power to have systems in place as quickly as possible,” he explained.

The newly elected FKF is under pressure to stabilise the national team ahead of next year’s Chan as well as address financial and administrative challenges.

Firat’s departure leaves Harambee Stars at another crossroads, with fans eager for a revival as the nation gears up to host a continental tournament. Whether the federation can turn the tide remains to be seen.