In a candid revelation at a Monday afternoon press conference in a Nairobi hotel, Firat, the Turkish maestro at the helm, expressed the challenge of preparing the team in a mere eight months, acknowledging it fell short of elevating the squad to his envisioned levels.Admitting the team’s lack of readiness for the impending task, Firat asserted, “I want to be very honest and say we are not ready for the task ahead.
I’d be lying if I said we are because we have only had a short time to prepare. I don’t know, but we shall try to do our best.”With an official match drought spanning two years, Firat emphasized the constraints of the limited timeframe since March to instill his coaching philosophy and meet his expectations, commending the players for their midnight oil-burning commitment in training.
Despite acknowledging significant progress in assembling a competitive squad, Firat lamented a dire situation exacerbated by a slew of injuries affecting key squad members, including Byrne Odhiambo, Collins Sichenje, and Daniel Anyembe. Engaging with doctors to assess the fitness of players like Eric Ouma and Ayub Timbe, Firat described the week as challenging.
Highlighting Kenya’s struggle to nurture new talent due to minimal participation in other age category competitions, Firat, while recognizing the expectations placed on young players joining the senior national team, remained steadfast, stating, “But I’m not one of the coaches who will cry when faced with such a situation.
I have enough boys who can do an excellent job.”In the face of adversity, Firat conveyed a determined optimism, awaiting the unfolding of events in the upcoming qualifiers.
