“Real Coaches Do Tactics!” – Firat Fires Shots After Kenya’s Loss to Ivory Coast

Former Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has stirred conversation in the Kenyan football community after publishing, and promoting, a post on Instagram just days after Kenya’s 3–0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in Abidjan.

The Turkish tactician shared a video clip revisiting his own encounter with the African champions, accompanied by a bold narration that begins, “Real coaches do tactics, not empty talks.”

Firat captioned the post:

“We faced the Champions of Africa — and they couldn’t break us.
They had no chance to score, while we created several opportunities to win the match.
⚽ Discipline.
⚡ Pressing.
🔥 Fast transitions.
This was not just a result — it was a tactical statement.
Respect the tactics. Respect the team. 💪”

In the video, Firat walks viewers through his tactical approach in Kenya’s 0–0 draw against Ivory Coast during the first leg of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. The narration highlights how he organized his players to counter the Elephants’ pressing and build confidence despite limited resources.

“No home games, no fans, but we found tactical solutions, not excuses,” he says in the clip. “Ivory Coast had no clear chance, even with debutants. Kenya pressed hard, won the ball and exploded with fast transitions… We played mostly with local players against stars from top clubs… Our pressing combined with counter-pressing and compact blocks denied Ivory Coast any clear chance.”

The video closes with flashes of Kenya’s impressive friendly results under his watch — the 2–1 win over Qatar and 2–2 draw against Russia — seemingly underscoring his point that tactical discipline can level the playing field, even against elite teams.

Firat’s post has drawn mixed reactions. Some fans interpret it as a subtle reminder of his tactical acumen — and possibly a marketing move to attract new opportunities. Others see it as a veiled jab at the current Harambee Stars technical bench following their recent struggles against the same opposition.

Firat’s three-year reign with Kenya ended in December 2024, when he resigned after failing to guide the team to the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. During his tenure, he oversaw 23 matches, recording seven wins, seven draws, and nine losses — a 30.4% win rate. Only three of those wins came in competitive fixtures.

His era was a mix of a few highs and lows: a 2–1 victory over Namibia and the goalless draw against Ivory Coast stood out among the positives, while the 5–0 thrashing by Mali in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers remained a dark chapter.

Firat has consistently blamed structural issues, including lack of home games and poor infrastructure, for limiting Kenya’s progress.

Whether his latest post is a genuine tactical reflection, a public relations move, or a subtle critique of his successors remains open to interpretation — but one thing is clear: Engin Firat has once again managed to get the Kenyan football fraternity talking.