KRU: Mike Friday still Kenya sevens rugby coach

Kenya Sevens Head Coach Mike Friday [Photo: Courtesy KRU]

 

By John Lawrence

Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya Rugby Union Chairman Mwangi Muthee has denied allegations that Kenya Sevens head coach Mike Friday has been fired.

Speaking from London, Muthee asked Kenyans to treat any information and correspondence regarding Friday’s sack as a rumour.

"I would like to ask all Kenyans to treat any correspondence from Philip Jalang'o as a rumour since he no-longer speaks on behalf of the union's board. Muthee told The Standard.

He said KRU director Phillip Jalang’o, who allegedly sent an email to newsrooms announcing Friday’s sack, has been replaced by Gabriel Ouko.

Ouko was before his new appointment the KRU's Treasurer. Muthee promised to issue a comprehensive statement in Nairobi on Tuesday morning.

Muthee asked Kenyans ‘to relax and stay calm as Friday performs his duties, a mandate given to him by the board and not an individual.’ But with the most interesting new development to the KRU saga is that Muthee instead issued matching orders to Jalang’o.

“We have sacked Philip Jalang'o and replaced him with Gabriel Ouko as the new Director National Squad and Elite Performance and the changes are effective immediately.

 “We have a Union board that makes decisions and as such, no specific individual should purport to be making decisions contrary to the Union. Jalang’o has no mandate whatsoever to act on behalf of KRU," added Muthee.

Jalang’o sent an email stating that Friday and Chris Brown, the Strength and Conditioning Coach were fired effective immediately.

“The Head Coach has failed to exemplify the Vision, Mission and Core Values of KRU at certain points of the season.  Effective today, the KRU Board has appointed Assistant Head Coach Felix Ochieng, as the interim Head Coach and Bronson Weir from Western Province to assist him, through the remainder of the season,” the letter stated.