The Harambee Stars’ qualification campaign for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has reached a critical juncture, with upcoming matches against Zimbabwe and Namibia serving as must-win encounters. Amid this high-stakes scenario, former Harambee Stars full-back Bob Oyugi has offered advice to the national team coach, Engin Firat. Oyugi has cautioned the Turkish coach against experimenting too much with the squad, a strategy he argues has cost Kenya valuable points in their quest for a spot in the tournament.
Currently, the Harambee Stars find themselves in third position in Group J, four points adrift of second-placed Zimbabwe. With group leaders Cameroon already qualified for the 2025 edition, the battle for the remaining qualification slots intensifies, leaving Firat and his team in a challenging spot. Oyugi, who previously donned the Harambee Stars jersey and played in the defensive line, has raised concerns about the impact of Firat’s continuous alterations to the squad lineup. According to Oyugi, consistency is essential at this stage, as frequent changes to the squad have hampered the team’s overall performance and cohesiveness on the field.
Oyugi’s perspective comes from the belief that a settled lineup allows players to develop chemistry, which is crucial when competing at the international level. Building such chemistry requires time, consistency, and familiarity among the players, something that Oyugi argues is lacking under Firat’s approach. He suggests that relying on “tried and tested” players would benefit the team more than rotating the lineup in every match. “Changing players in every match means they cannot have consistency and they will not be able to know how to play together,” Oyugi explained, emphasizing the need for a stable squad to foster team unity and effectiveness on the field.
The stakes for Kenya are now higher than ever. To secure a place in the AFCON tournament, they need to deliver exceptional performances in the upcoming qualifiers. According to Oyugi, the best way to achieve this is by sticking to a stable lineup, as this approach minimizes disruptions and allows players to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. He highlights that each position on the pitch has its unique demands, and consistent partnerships between players lead to more cohesive performances.
For Oyugi, Firat’s gamble of experimenting with different squads in each qualifier has backfired, with results indicating that the approach may have done more harm than good. Although squad rotation can be beneficial in certain contexts such as to rest players or adapt to specific opponents it can disrupt the flow of the game and hinder team synergy when overdone. Stability is what Oyugi argues the Harambee Stars need most at this point, with minimal time left to adjust ahead of the crucial matches.
Reflecting on the journey so far, Oyugi believes that Kenya’s current position in Group J is a consequence of the lack of stability in player selection. He suggests that sticking with a core group of players would not only boost morale but also give the team a better chance of achieving positive outcomes. For Kenya, consistency in the starting lineup could be the decisive factor that shifts their AFCON dreams closer to reality.
Moreover, Oyugi warns that the focus now should be on the team’s immediate goal of qualifying for the tournament. He believes that the time for post-mortems and extensive tactical discussions has passed; the focus should be on performance, results, and building team cohesion. “It’s too late to continue discussing Harambee Stars,” he stated, signaling the urgency of the situation. Oyugi advocates for a results-oriented approach where each game is treated as a stepping stone towards qualification.
The former defender also noted that while Firat may have had valid reasons for rotating the squad earlier in the qualifiers, the upcoming matches require a strategy that prioritizes familiarity and unity over experimentation. Oyugi’s advice comes as a reminder that consistency is often a key ingredient in the success of international teams. For the Harambee Stars to keep their qualification hopes alive, they need to go beyond individual brilliance and focus on developing a collective identity on the pitch.
Looking ahead to the Zimbabwe and Namibia ties, Oyugi’s words resonate with a sense of urgency. He hopes that Firat will heed his advice and embrace a more conservative approach in squad selection, one that relies on a core group of players who can rise to the occasion. By focusing on the players who have delivered results and shown promise in past matches, Firat can give Kenya the best chance of closing the gap and moving closer to qualification.
The message from Oyugi is clear: at this critical stage, Kenya needs stability, consistency, and a unified squad to overcome the challenges ahead.
