OPINION: It's time for Firat to edit his concerning Harambee Stars selection template

In team sports like football, basketball, rugby and even athletics, the composition of a national team involves the selection of the best athletes at your disposal.

It must also reflect the vision, strategy, and belief in the talent pool available.

Outspoken Kenyan coach Engin Firat unveiled his squad for the upcoming 4-Nations tournament in Malawi but his choices stirred controversy and raised valid concerns about his approach to team selection and especially the development of local talent.

A glaring issue with Firat's squad selection is the stark underrepresentation of players from the local league.Out of the 27 players he named, a mere 11 hailed from the domestic league (8 if you exclude the goalkeepers).

Play here and stand a chance of winning the over 32 Million SportPesa Midweek Jackpot

This statistic is concerning, considering the crucial role the local league plays in nurturing talent and preparing players for international competition.

Given Firat’s position, I would have used the 4-Nations tournament, which starts on Saturday with Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi participating, as a precursor to the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), which Kenya is set to co-host alongside Uganda and Tanzania.

CHAN is a competition that’s reserved for local league players only and given Kenya’s hosting rights, there will be pressure for the local boys to perform.

However, the Harambee Stars have been stuck in a rut, relying heavily on foreign-based players who have failed to significantly elevate Kenya's football status.

ALSO READ: Bonphas Munyasa: How Murang'a Seal keeper rose from double rejection to Harambee Stars selection

Meanwhile, neighboring teams like Tanzania and Uganda have made strides forward, leaving us trailing behind and focusing on banter while hoping for them not to succeed where we continue failing.

The latest squad seems to cater more to the egos at the Football Kenya Federation, ensuring the inclusion of certain players regardless of their actual merit.

It also massages Firat's ego and backs his assertion that there is a lack of quality in the local league.  It further shows his disinterest and lack of commitment to the development and exposure of local players which should be at the top of his agenda as the national team boss.

That he could afford to omit from the squad Austin Odhiambo, arguably the best player in the local league this season has left many baffled. It’s easy to argue that Gor Mahia wouldn’t be leading the league table if it were not for the talented midfielder.

While newcomers like his teammate Shariff Musa, Tusker FC’s Chris Erambo and David Sakwa deserve applause for their maiden national team call-ups, overlooking the league’s MVP shoo-in is a catastrophe and should be treated with the contempt it warrants.

ALSO READ: Stars Abroad: Esse Akida scores as Okumu & Onyango post mixed results in Europe

This pattern sends a disheartening message to domestic players—no matter how well they perform, their efforts may go unrecognized in favour of foreign-based players, whose performances Firat may not even be fully aware of due to limited scouting resources.

It appears that Firat and his technical team are increasingly reliant on public outcry to correct their selection blunders. From Benson Omalla's initial snub to the eventual inclusion due to fan pressure, it's evident that change is only spurred by external forces.

It is time for a shift, a recalibration of the selection process—one that prioritizes merit over familiarity. The template which reads like Muguna, Timbe, Avire, Abud, Akumu, even when they are least deserving, must be shredded into pieces.

The fans, who follow the game more than the federation honchos, are getting sick of the old template and it is high time their dissenting voices are heard, if at all that is what brings merit to the table.

ALSO READ: SportPesa launch revolutionary Tujiamini Initiative to nurture talent