Football

Engin Firat hits back at critics following recognition as most successful Turkish coach abroad

Kenya's Turkish coach Engin Firat speaks to his players during the friendly football match between Qatar and Kenya at the Al-Janoub Stadium in Al-Wakrah, south of Doha on September 7, 2023. (Photo: Karim JAAFAR/AFP)

By Sports Reporter | Sunday, December 31, 2023

Expressing frustration with critics who questioned his award in light of Harambee Stars' drop in the FIFA rankings, Firat clarified that the decline was a consequence of not participating in official matches during a ban period.

Harambee Stars head coach, Engin Firat, has responded to detractors he refers to as "ignorant football experts" who cast doubt on his recent accolade as the most successful Turkish coach abroad.

The 53-year-old coach defended himself against those disputing the legitimacy of his award and clarified the criteria that led to his acknowledgement.

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He has faced criticism from certain quarters, with sceptics questioning the justification for the award, notwithstanding his recent successes with Harambee Stars.

In an interview on Radio Jambo, Firat staunchly defended his recognition, highlighting Harambee Stars' significant achievements under his stewardship.

“Here, the people do not understand who we played. We played Iran, Qatar, Russia, and we played away and not at home. Everybody forgets this (we had just come from a ban). Even the coach of Iran asked me,; ’How did you make it? 500 days without a match, you come like this?" he explained.

The Turkish coach underscored the unique challenges of managing Kenya in football, emphasizing the team's commendable performances against formidable opponents such as Iran, Qatar, and Russia.

Expressing frustration with critics who questioned his award in light of Harambee Stars' drop in the FIFA rankings, Firat clarified that the decline resulted from not participating in official matches during a ban period.

He delved into the intricacies of the FIFA ranking system, emphasizing how the team's standing was impacted by the absence of official matches during the ban.

"I became really upset because I have to explain how the ranking works to the football fans. It's not their job to check how it works, but these so-called 'football experts' and journalists, how they do not know all this and yet they write that, they did not understand this," Firat said on Radio Jambo.