Bobby, that path is full of thorns, rocks

Gor Mahia coach Bobby Williamson. PHOTO | FILE |

What you need to know:

  • On December 15, in the presence of President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Arts and Culture Hassan Wario announced that the government would henceforth meet all the tactician’s “needs”.

Adel Amrouche could classify his 18-month stint in Kenya into two parts.

The first was between his February 2013 official — and glittering — unveiling as Harambee Stars head coach at Boulevard Hotel in Nairobi and December 15.

In between those dates, the national team tactician at least once described his stay in the country as “like hell”.

During that period, rarely were his monthly dues, allowances and other contractual obligations met on time, which left the Belgian almost living from hand to mouth.

This notwithstanding the fact that the coach was expected to impressively carry out his mandate by performing to expectations.

A new dawn would break for the trainer after he won last year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup in Nairobi.

GOVERNMENET'S COMMITMENT

On December 15, in the presence of President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Arts and Culture Hassan Wario announced that the government would henceforth meet all the tactician’s “needs”.

With that declaration, the Algerian-born coach would soon experience a more refreshing side to life in the “Green City in the Sun”, including moving around town in an impressive sports car with a chauffeur to boot.

Further, delays in his payments immediately became a thing of the past.

Sadly, although Amrouche’s predecessor Henri Michel suffered much more, the unlucky chap never had the chance to meet the Head of State.

Once, he suffered the embarrassment of being locked out of his hotel while in the company of his spouse.

By the time he had had enough of the mistreatment and opted to quit, the former Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire tactician still required help from the French Embassy to head home.

That is also when he got the time to pen his resignation.

It is with this hindsight that Bobby Williamson and his two lieutenants Musa Otieno and Simeon Mulama are, perhaps, not falling for the bait of this ‘prestige’ that comes with managing Harambee Stars just yet, a fortnight after the trio was ‘appointed’ to their roles, lest they end up with egg all over their faces.