As the sun set on yet another day of dashed hopes, Engin Firat walked off the pitch in Polokwane, South Africa, his face a canvas of frustration and resignation. The Harambee Stars’ 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers sealed their fate—yet another failure to make it to the continental stage. Firat, who had taken the helm with lofty ambitions, had warned of storm clouds brewing within Kenyan football, but few heeded his words. Now, the storm has claimed its latest casualty: the coach himself.
Firat’s decision to resign underscores his frustration with Kenya’s football system, which he likened to “a car with no fuel but endless demands for speed.” His tenure was marred by logistical nightmares, from playing home matches abroad due to the lack of a Caf-approved stadium to insufficient training facilities. “We have no fans, no support, not even a proper training ground,” Firat lamented. His words reflect the structural rot in Kenyan football, a situation he repeatedly described as a house of cards bound to collapse.
The Harambee Stars’ campaign was a tale of unfulfilled promises, with just one win in five matches. Firat had set an ambitious goal of Afcon qualification, but systemic shortcomings left his team ill-equipped to rise to the challenge. The absence of long-term strategies, grassroots development, and institutional reforms rendered his efforts akin to pouring water into a sieve. Despite the players’ valiant efforts, they finished third in their group, behind Cameroon and Zimbabwe.
Firat’s resignation is both a wake-up call and a cautionary tale for Kenyan football. His plea for the federation, government, and private stakeholders to prioritize infrastructure and youth programs remains the only viable blueprint for redemption. For now, Kenyan football stands at a crossroads, with Firat’s parting words—“Stop dreaming and fix the problems”—resonating as both an indictment and a challenge. Whether the Harambee Stars will rise from these ashes remains to be seen
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