Firat questions FKFPL's potential, urges players to pursue top leagues abroad
.jpg)
Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 04.03.24. | 13:07
Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat opines that the local league is not good enough and therefore Kenyan players should strive to play abroad
Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat has challenged local players to desire to play in top leagues outside Kenya if they are to improve their skills and help the national team get better.
Speaking on Radio 47 at the weekend, Firat said the local league is incapable of raising high quality players who will help Harambee Stars play at the highest level.
He also seemed not to have been impressed with a potential $20,000 (Ksh 2.9million) per month move for Gor Mahia striker Benson Omalla to Algeria which backfired last month.
The move to JS Soura fell at the last minute with Gor Mahia officials accused of delaying to send required documents to the Algerian club.
“My advice to our local players is that if they feel they are good enough, then they should seek to play in big leagues to improve not just their skills but also the competitiveness of Harambee Stars,” he said.
He added: "The other day I heard that Omalla was scheduled to move to Algeria and earn $20,000 per month. That is not the amount of money a top striker should be earning.”
Firat regretted that the Kenyan league has not shown tremendous improvement compared to the Tanzanian league and that is why a lot of local players are crossing the border.
“A few years back, the Kenyan league was one of the top in the region but has remained stagnant while in Tanzania the competition has grown with players earning huge salaries. That is why many top local players prefer to play in Tanzanian when they get an opportunity,” he observed.
Harambee Stars are scheduled to play in a four nation tournament later this month to be held in Malawi. They will take on African Champions Ivory Coast in a 2026 World Cup qualifier at home in June.
.jpg)
