Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has suggested that in other countries he would be appreciated more for the results that the national team has registered in recent months.
Kenya and Russia faced off in an international friendly on Monday, October 16, that showcased a thrilling display of football prowess and tactical brilliance, ending in a 2-2 draw at the Titanic Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey.
The match began with high tension, with the host taking the lead early in the 7th minute after a costly mispass by Johnstone Omurwa. However, Kenya fought back as Japan-based Anthony Akumu displayed incredible determination to level the scores. Momentum swung further in Kenya’s favor when Masoud Juma seized an opportunity to slot the ball into the net and hand Kenya a lead.
However, Kenya faced heartbreak in the 88th minute when Russia found the equalizer through Ivan Oblyakov, which ensured that the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
And now, following the stalemate, Stars gaffer Firat, in a conversation with SE, has said that Kenyans don’t care about football, and in other countries, he could have a statue erected for beating the 2018 World Cup hosts.
“Kenya is a country where they don’t know anything about football, so in that sense, they don’t respect it enough. We won against the Asian Championships in Qatar, and no one cared. If we beat Russia, no one would care either, because Kenya is not a football country. In any neighboring country, they would erect a monument to me in the city center for the victory over Russia,” Firat told SE.
Firat has so far led Kenya to three wins since his appointment, nicking wins against Rwanda, Pakistan and Qatar, and has been in the limelight for his high-profile friendly matches as the team gets ready for World Cup qualifier against Gabon in Libreville on November 13
