By CHARLES OUKO

In a surprising act, Philip Jalango, a Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) Director, in charge of National Teams, announced the ‘sackings’ of both Mike Friday and Chris Brown. Mr Friday 41 and Brown 28,are respectively the Head Coach and Strength and Conditioning Coach, of the Kenya National 7s team.

Jalang’os act was immediately rebuffed by KRU supremo Mwangi Muthee, who was still in London, UK with the National 7s Rugby Team.

In denouncing Jalang’os move, Muthee was categorical, that Friday and Brown remained at the head of the team’s technical affairs. Muthee was also explicit in stating, that the duo would lead the Kenya 7s team to next month’s Rugby 7s World Cup, in Moscow. Muthee’s concluded by saying that Friday’s and Brown’s performance was always due for appraisal, at the half way stage of their two-year contract; which is in July 2013,and that nothing to that effect had changed.

Jalang’o in his statement, ostensibly issued on the behalf of the KRU, had stated that Friday would head a new technical and coaching team to Moscow.

In doing an apparent ‘Matteo’ on Friday and Brown, Jalang’o and with the co-directors, on his side, clearly acted against the greater public interest.

(Chelsea Manager Roberto Di Matteo led his club to European glory in the UEFA 2011/2012 Champions league. Club owner Roman Abramovich, then ‘rewarded’ Di Matteo for his sterling performance, by promptly sacking him, to the consternation of club supporters and all players).

Jalango’s statement was disconcerting, and the timing was incredulous, to put it mildly. Friday brought to the job, incontestable world-class rugby coaching resumé.  A former captain and coach of the England 7s team, rugby 7s coaches don’t come any bigger, than Friday!

He is also a four-time winner of the prestigious Hong Kong 7s.

Whereas Jalang’os statement was long on verbiage and short on detail, the sticking point in the spat within the KRU, hinges on the fact that Friday is not resident full time in Kenya!

The Jalang’o wing of KRU has for a while now sought to flex their muscle on this aspect of Fridays’ modus operandi, but with little success. Jalang’o joined KRU board last year after a failed bid to become Kenya Harlequin RFC Chair.

Muthee has always stood up for Friday and the fact that Jalang’o made his move in Muthee’s absence was instructive. Whereas KRU does indeed have the lawful mandate to hire and fire and whereas the Chair cannot fire a co-director; the board, must always take cognizance of the fact that they administer the sport on the behalf of the people of Kenya.

Friday and Brown have just led the team to a credible fifth place of 21 countries, in the just ended season 2012/2013 HSBC IRB World 7s series. Kenya earned 99 series points.

Friday and Brown’s near-excellent results, cannot be disputed. With a virtually brand new squad, the team made five Cup semis out of a possible nine, including a Cup Final in Wellington.

To put this in perspective, Kenya ended up in 12th place in the 2011/2012 season, with a measly 40 points! So in just one season, the Friday and Brown duo, have delivered a plus 100 per cent return on performance and results!

Englishman Friday and Kiwi Brown cannot reside in Kenya full time, due to among other reasons, financial constraints on the part of the KRU that makes them unable to offer a remuneration package that is globally competitive.

common and rugby sense

A consistently exemplary paragon of corporate efficiency and integrity, the spat over Friday is the last thing the KRU board needs.  The bad press will not go unnoticed by their commercial backers and it is in the best interest of the sport that this matter be resolved, like yesterday.

Kenya is a participant in the sixth Rugby 7s World Cup, next month in Russia. Participants in the past three editions, Kenya just fell short of making the Cup final at RWC7s Dubai ’09, losing to Argentina in the semis after knocking out defending champions Fiji in the quarters.

With just a month of preparations left for Moscow 2013, and Friday’s team just beginning to gel, absolute minimum common and rugby sense would dictate, that you don’t change a winning team; more so at such a crucial time of the fixtures calendar!

Expectations of this team in Moscow are very high and it thus behoves M/s Jalang’o & Co. to keep their eye on the bigger picture, (RWC7s Moscow) compromise on their preferences and let Friday and Brown, complete Season One of their of their contracts, by taking the Kenyan team to Moscow.

The board consists of nine elected and two co-opted directors, all elected to promote, further and advance the good cause of Kenya rugby, by consistently making moves and decisions, that are in the best interest of the principal owners of the sport; the players.

That they all know their craft and are passionate for the sport is not in doubt, as virtually all of them joined the board through their various clubs; after either and or successful playing and administration club careers.

This spat is thus unseemly, unhealthy, unhelpful  and unnecessary.

If the intention was to muddy the waters so that in keeping with their cultures, Friday and Brown distance themselves from the imbroglio and walk away; this strategy might just succeed. However the question to be asked is, at what cost would this strategy be achieved and to the satisfaction of which egos!??

We thus state without fear of contradiction, that to pursue the dismantling of the entire coaching arm of the national 7s team, a month to the Moscow RWC 7s, is a recipe for certain disaster at the World Cup and akin to sporting treason!

The writer is a freelance writer and editor. He has represented Kenya in the Under 23 at international level.