Raoul Shungu in happier times, when he returned to Rayon late 2007. (file photo)

As a result, immediately rumors started circulating, especially among members of the committee, that head coach Raul Shungu was behind the revolt. At the same time, Patrick Itangishaka who is responsible for funds mobilization at Rayon, threw in the towel, saying that he was tired of being accused by fans that he abuses office and swindles the club’s funds, all of which left him completely discouraged.

It didn’t take long for the committee to get their bearings, however, and the next thing Raoul Shungu knew was that he had been sacked. Rayon and Shungu seem to have an on-off relationship: the coach was under a two-year contract since late 2007, when he had returned to the club after a few years as the national technical director of the Seychelles. He had left Rayon in 2003, then too due to disagreement with the committee. Before, he been on and off with the club since 1989.

Vice-president Jean de Dieu Dukundane, who in 2007 still expressed relief at Shungu’s return, was quick to find an explanation for the current mess: the club, he said, was in a financial crisis. “You see, there is economic crisis in the whole world, and that affects us too,” he remarked, referring to the fact that Rayon mainly depends on contributions of its supporters.

As for the dismissal of Shungu, Dukundane said that there were several reasons for the decision. “Shungu did not fully meet his obligations according to the agreement that was made with him,” the vice-president explained. “First of all, we made invested some 15 million francs in players he wanted but who did not contribute anything to the club. For instance, we spent 2 million on Abed Mulenda, and then he simply leaves the team. Or take Kanyike, who cost 8 million francs, and who has done nothing at all.”

Furthermore, according to Dukundane there are some matches Rayon Sports should not have lost; he highlights to 1-0 loss to Marines and defeat by Kiyovu at the same score. As a result, Rayon is now only in third place, trailing five points behind the leaders ATRACO (at the time of publication, on Saturday, May 9, ed.).

Returned to the fold

Raoul Shungu, for his part, did not seem to worry too much about his fate, and was apparently mainly unhappy with the way he was dismissed. “I have no problem, except that according to the contract they should have given me three months notice,” was his laconic reaction.

This was however dismissed by Jean de Dieu Dukundane, who said that the committee wrote a letter of warning to Shungu two months ago. “We warned him about his mistakes, but he never changed his attitude. To matters worse, he would go on missions abroad without informing the committee,” Dukundane said.

Yet Shungu denied this, saying that he always informed the committee about these missions, which were, moreover, missions on behalf of Ferwafa.

One of the few things that seem clear in this whole saga, is that the players have returned to the fold. According to Jimmy Gatete, the team is ready to do whatever it takes to win the remaining matches. “We have solved the payment issues, and we are looking forward to winning the Peace Cup,” said Gatete nonchalantly.

Meanwhile, the assistant coach Jean Batista Kayiranga has taken charge of the formerly recalcitrant players.

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