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AN OPEN LETTER TO MONSIEUR HENRI MICHEL


Salut monsieur, comment ca va?
           I am glad that you accepted to work with us. The position you have taken is really a big shoe for your small legs but I hope you prove me wrong. You see, Harambee Stars is a local name, which was coined from another jargon which if you want to understand it, we will need a lengthy chat over a cup of coffee. But that would be useless since coffee is gold in this country.
              There are a couple of things I want to bring into your attention monsieur. Sil vous plait, promise me that you will be vigilant with the team. Promise me that you have a rigid contract that enables you to build the team for at least one year before you can go about spilling promises. If not, then have a ticket at the ready.
              The first thing I want you to know is, you know you are dealing with the status quo. I am glad that you don’t speak their language and they do not really understand yours. The house you are dealing with monsieur is very rigid. It has so many dirty linens that need to be washed in the public. That house monsieur Michel has been that way with no change for years. Before you even say, ‘ZIDANE!’ you will have been fed on diet called, Oliech, Mariga some will even suggest Musa Otieno, while others will mumble things close to Eric Ochieng Cantona, You will even Hear of Mulama, while confused ones will be crying Patrick Mugata. A distant whisper will suggest Joe Kadenge. 
                  If you don’t know monsieur, those are Kenyan legends in football. They are really tough, they were good in ball, but they don’t do it anymore. If they do, like Oliech and Mariga, they are never acknowledged. You they are very rich and should do these things for free. Isn’t this their country monsieur?   
                 Therefore monsieur, break this ring of ‘obstinate old fossils’ bring in a vibrant young team. Take your time to build a team. So bad that you came in just when the secondary schools were done with. But never mind, you can get the videos from the ministry or somewhere and look for some talent hidden there. I am telling you that you will enjoy the kind of talent hidden among those high school boys. Monsieur please don’t narrow your mind only to the academies, there are other talents away from the football academies that are now running in this country. 
                    Some other thing monsieur, Nairobi is a small village. It is not Kenya, you know many coaches who have in the past been shown the door thought that Nairobi was Kenya. They confined themselves to Nairobi and expected talent to drop like manna. I am sorry to say that they received a kick on the backside as the team flopped and the fans fury. They ended up in leaving without being fired. Antoine Hey, even did not come back to say bye, I even do not remember the spellings of his name.
                I told you about the status quo right? Yea, before you enter into any plan, make sure that you have been given the money you budgeted for. You have a team to run, and this team needs to perform. The only way the team can perform is if it gets the budget requested. Don’t accept promissory notes. Accept action if not, you will have to dig deep into your pockets.
To pen off monsieur, take your time to prepare the team. if you promise to win the next game, which  I am not so sure, carry your ticket to France with you.
         I wish you well as you start the juggernaut task to train a team you don’t have. May success be your every hope and dream.

Yours faithfully,
A Kenyan fan,
Musungu Washington    

 PS
Do not claim to bring the Cecafa trophy to Kenya if YOU cannot. Just let your work do the talk.

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