‘Where on earth can a coach accept 60 day contract?’ – Nyamweya questions Firat's Harambee Stars appointment

Former Football Kenya Federation president Sam Nyamweya has raised questions regarding the appointment of new Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat, saying it has never happened in Africa or the world for a coach to sign a 60-day contract.

On Sunday, FKF unveiled the 51-year-old Turkish tactician to replace Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee, who parted ways with the national team a week ago after only 11 months in charge.

Nyamweya has described the new appointment as "history for football", saying he has never seen a coach agree to take a short contract of 60 days anywhere in the world.

Who will give him a work permit?

“Who will give him a work permit for two months?” Nyamweya posed a question to Goal when asked to comment about the new appointment. “It is a big shame on what the federation has done.

“In my entire football management, I have never seen such an appointment, and it will not work, it is a mutual contract between two parties which does not make sense to me, it is not acceptable, it is just a shame that we have reached such low point.”

Nyamweya has further raised questions on why the FKF opted to hire the coach, despite his poor record at Moldova, where he was recently coaching before accepting the Kenya job offer.

“Our football is sinking to oblivion because why should we hire a coach who had failed from Moldova? He was a failure as he did not win a match there, he played eleven matches and lost mine and it shows you he is not a good coach,” Nyamweya continued.

“This is a shame of an appointment, it is a mockery to Kenyan football, and the earlier stakeholders come together to chat the way forward the better.

“I am 100 percent sure that he will not take Kenya to the World Cup, he has failed previously and will also fail in Kenya, but I will not blame the coach if we don't qualify, I will blame the federation.

“In five years, we have seen a turnover of six coaches under Mwendwa regime and it means when this new coach walks out, it will be seven coaches [under him], that is a big number of coaches leaving a team within a short period of work.

“It seems there is something wrong happening that we are not being told, why are the coaches walking away after joining?”

Why was Mulee and Kimanzi fired?

Nyamweya also further criticised the federation for firing and hiring coaches without giving a reason as to why they reached the decision.

“When Francis Kimanzi was fired the federation refused to tell Kenyans why they had reached the decision and again when Mulee left they have also kept mum and refused to explain what happened. That means they are hiding something,” Nyamweya lamented.

“This is a public office and the officials are answerable to Kenyans, so they must be held accountable, and time will come when they will know the office they are holding belongs to the public and not a personal property.”

Coach Firat’s first assignment will be the upcoming 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Mali, away and home, on October 8, and October 12, respectively.