Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat explains omission of Nyasa Big Bullets defender Clyde Senaji

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FOOTBALL Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat explains omission of Nyasa Big Bullets defender Clyde Senaji

Festus Chuma 08:53 - 23.03.2024

Harambe Stars coach Firat has offered a detailed explanation for Nyasa Big Bullets defender Senaji's omission from the squad.

The Harambe Stars head coach, Engin Firat, has shed light on the exclusion of Nyasa Big Bullets defender Clyde Senaji from his squad, attributing it to the challenges of tracking players in Africa.

Despite Senaji's stellar performance for Big Bullets and his recent improvement on the field, he has been absent from the national team setup for close to three years.

Addressing reporters during a pre-match press conference in Lilongwe on Friday, the 57-year-old Turkish tactician emphasised the difficulties faced by coaches in Africa when it comes to monitoring players plying their trade abroad.

"In Africa, it is a very challenging job for the coaches to trace their players playing outside the country," Firat remarked.

"Had it been in Europe, it would have been easier because they have programmes where we can check every match and every data, but if they are playing in Africa, most countries do not have live games."

Firat highlighted the reliance on networks and contacts in foreign countries to keep tabs on players like Senaji.

"What I do is that I ask friends in that country to monitor him, and I need to talk to those people to send me every match that I cannot find anywhere," he explained.

The coach acknowledged the struggle to showcase African talent to the wider world, stressing the importance of addressing the issue.

"It is very difficult to monitor the players, and you have to see the other side of the story," Firat stated. "For example, if you have a very big talent in Malawi, for someone in Europe who cannot see it, he cannot get data for this boy."

Despite his omission, Senaji remains hopeful of a national team return and is committed to continuing his hard work to achieve that goal.

The Harambe Stars are gearing up to face Malawi in the semifinals of the competition on Saturday, March 24, 2024, at the Bingu National Stadium.

With the third-place playoff and finals scheduled for Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at the same venue, the tournament serves as crucial preparation for upcoming international assignments.

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