Benson Omala’s Path to International Success Encounters Challenges; Coach Firat Highlights Areas Local Players Must Enhance
In recent months, Kenyan football enthusiasts have been left pondering the repeated omission of Gor Mahia’s top scorer, Benson Omala, from the Harambee Stars squad, despite his impressive record of seven goals in the FKF Premier League.
These exclusions have led to murmurs of ‘favoritism’ among some fans. However, Harambee Stars head coach, Engin Firat, has shed light on his selection process and what local talents like Omala must do to secure a spot in the national team.
Firat has now addressed the concerns surrounding Omala’s absence from the Harambee Stars, emphasizing the challenges faced by local players when making the leap to international football.
While Omala was part of the squad for the Four Nations Tournament in June, he was notably absent from the roster announced for friendly matches against Qatar and South Sudan in September.
Firat, who has overseen Harambee Stars in ten international matches, has provided insight into his reasoning.
“In June, he was with us, and he even had a chance to play against Mauritius. I’ve explained to all local players entering the national team that they must adapt their style of play to the international level,” Firat stated during Arocho Live.
“The expectations for this position and at this level in international football go beyond what is typically seen in Kenya. In Kenya, you can become a superstar – and I’m not singling out Benson, but all players from the local league.”
Firat stressed that local players need to adapt their playing style to meet the demands of international football.
The Turkish coach emphasized that at this level, the expectations transcend the norms of Kenyan football, where players can achieve superstar status.
“For instance, I expect a center-forward to play effectively even with a center defender marking them. They need to control the ball, execute precise passes, and possess dribbling skills. These are the qualities I anticipate from them,” he explained.
Firat made it clear that his decisions were not specific to Omala but applied to all local players.
The former Moldova manager reminded fans that his primary objective is to construct a cohesive team capable of collective success on the international stage.
“In essence, I have to build a team that can collaborate and achieve success collectively,” he concluded.
In the previous season, Omala finished as the runner-up in the race for the FKF Premier League’s top scorer award, which was claimed by former Kenya Police FC striker Elvis Rupia with an impressive tally of 27 goals, narrowly edging out the Gor Mahia star by a single goal.
