Firat appeals for more support to Harambee Stars ahead of World Cup qualifiers

Harambee Stars Coach Engin Firat has called on concerted efforts to boost the morale of players representing the country.

Speaking after landing back in the country following their Four Nations Tournament triumph in Malawi, the tactician lamented the team is not receiving the much-needed support.

The Turkish gaffer insisted that the support is key to pushing the boys to produce better results in the upcoming matches.

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"I think this team deserves support which is lacking till now. I hope that the belief in this team will get higher," Firat stated.

His sentiments were echoed by Harambee Stars Captain Michael Olunga who bagged a hat-trick on his 30th birthday to help the national team beat Zimbabwe 3-1 in the title decider where both teams were reduced to 10 men.

The player plying his trade in Qatar lobbied Kenyans to rally behind the national team in the upcoming matches against Burundi and reigning African champions Cote d’Ivoire.

"I want to thank each and everyone who has been involved in one way or another. The team is coming up quite well and we have young and experienced boys, so we want to use the victory as a preparation for the upcoming matches," Olunga stated.

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"We urge Kenyans to continue supporting this team because we are coming up quite strongly and we hope to continue producing good results."

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa also congratulated the team for clinching the trophy. He challenged the players to replicate the results in the upcoming fixtures as he urged the team to extend their winning streak.

Before Kenya hammered Malawi 4-0 in their opening match of the four-nation tournament at Bingu National Stadium, they had thrashed Seychelles 5-0 in November last year in their Group 'F,' 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The last time Kenya won three matches in a row was in December 2019 when they defeated Tanzania (1-0), Sudan (2-1) and Zanzibar (1-0) in the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in Uganda.

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The tournament in Lilongwe was part of the Stars’ preparations for their Group 'F' qualifiers against Burundi and reigning African champions Cote d’Ivoire set for June 3 and 10 respectively.

Before the final encounter, Firat had reached out to young players who were called up for the national assignment to capitalize on the opportunity to improve their skills and boost their confidence.

The Turkish gaffer paraded some unfamiliar faces in all the encounters, including AFC Leopards left-back Vincent Mahiga and skillful Tusker FC midfielder Chrispine Erambo.

Mahiga received much praise for filling in the shoes of the injured Erick Ouma ‘Marcelo’ in the tournament.

"But winning the trophy in Malawi is not our first objective. We’re here to help players improve, especially those who received their first call-up,” Firat said.

“The trophy holds little significance for me. What matters most to me is the progress of players I’ve given opportunities.”

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