Harambee Stars Head Coach Engin Firat. Photo/courtesy.
Harambee Stars head coach, Engin Firat has emphasized the importance of providing young Kenyan footballers with opportunities to play abroad early to help develop the country’s football.
Firat, who handed Timothy Ouma his debut at 17 while at Nairobi City Stars, noted the significant impact of such chances on players’ careers.
He said, “people recently claimed that we need experienced players to bring results immediately. What kind of thinking is this?”
Ouma, now a key player for Elfsborg in Sweden, is close to helping his team qualify for the 2024/2025 Europa League group stage.
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Firat highlighted how Ouma’s journey exemplifies his vision, explaining, “I watched him play for City Stars when he came on as a 90th-minute sub and thought he had a lot of potential.”
Firat has also played a role in launching the careers of other young talents, including Benson Omala, who recently joined Lebanon’s Al Safa FC, and Stanley Wilson, who secured a move to AIK in Sweden.
Firat has been vocal about the need to professionalize Kenyan football to increase the quality of players the country produces, adding, “I took him into the national team, and all the stories in the media were sensational.”
Ouma’s growth since 2021, after being discovered at the Safaricom Chapa Dimba grassroots tournament and later making his international debut, has seen him become a regular for Elfsborg.
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Firat’s influence has been instrumental in guiding Ouma’s career, with the player now just 90 minutes away from becoming a Europa League regular.
Firat shared, “the team from Sweden asked for my opinion on him, and he moved there.”
Ouma’s success has attracted interest from bigger teams in Europe, including in France. His rise mirrors that of Joseph Okumu, who also used Elfsborg as a platform to reach greater heights in European football.
