Kenya Harlequin F.C. head coach Paul Murunga during the interview in Nairobi on September 18, 2024.
Former Kenya Sevens head coach Paul “Pau” Murunga might not have realised his dream of winning Kenya Cup with Kenya Harlequin but he leaves the great club with his head held high.
Besides coming up with structures that saw a jump in the number of players available to the Ngong road-based side, Murunga also helped establish a women’s team and age-grade rugby.
Murunga, 42, took charge in May 2022 just after the once might Quins had survived relegation from Kenya Cup by a whisker to guide them to the semi-finals of the top flight league in 2023 season and two consecutive semi-final play-offs last year and this season.
He would also guide Quins to the 2024 National Sevens Circuit victory after finishing eighth in 2022 and fourth in 2023.
He won last year's Mwamba Cup with Quins and took the club's women's team to the 2024 Kenya Cup semi-final in their maiden appearance.
The former Kenya international spoke to Nation Sport for the first time since his exit from the club on May 1, paving way for his deputy, Patrice Agunda, to take charge.
“I leave the club in safe hands since Agunda and others who served as my deputies, Simon Odongo and Eden Agero, have risen through the ranks and are capable of steering the club further,” said Murunga, who now retreats to Kenya Defence Forces Boxing team as a strength and conditioning coach for now.
Murunga noted that his stay at Quins was satisfactory and even though he would have loved more time with the club, the management wasn’t patient.
“Three seasons with a club considering where I found it isn’t easy to win titles more so without a strong financial base. This is a community club and can’t be compared to corporate sides,” said Murunga.
When Murunga joined Quins just before the start of the 2022/2023 season, the club and Impala had tied on 17 points each in the relegation zone. What saved Quins was the head-to-head meetings.
Murunga, who coached Kenya Sevens between 2018 and 2020, guided Quins to a seventh placed finish in his first National Sevens Circuit with them.
In the 15s, the real version of the game, the former Homeboyz coach, took Quins to the Kenya Cup semi-finals where they lost to eventual winners Kabras Sugar 22-8.
Murunga said that during his first season with Quins he aim was to basically form a new team, making sure he recruited players that were not only fast and young but also with technical ability.
But after stabilising the club, he suffered from his own success as 14 of his playes were never available to him regularly as international duty with Kenya Simbas and Kenya Sevens interrupted his plans.
Then four players -- Melvin Theuri, Ian Njenga, Cornelius Mokoro and Michael Onsando left for Romania while Brian Waraba and Meshak Tunechi went to Canada, as KCB lured Laban Kipsang, Felix Makokha and Wilhite Mususi with better financial deals.
Nondescripts also raided Quins stable to take away Elisha Koronya and Hillary Baraza while Zeden Maro left for the United States of America.
“I had to recruit afresh but Quins, being a community club, didn’t have the financial muscle to get top players hence we focused on those playing in the Championships, Nationwide and schools. It was a big struggle,” said Murunga.
“As much as we recruited good talent it was an uphill task without quality at the top level.”
Murunga said that it needed more patience if Quins wanted to win the coveted Kenya Cup, a crown they have claimed eight times in their 74-year history.
He reckons three seasons under the current set up couldn’t produce the desired results. This was exacerbated by the club's lack of a major sponsors.
“Resources were not enough and the club was stretched with the little it had. For instance last season, we participated in the sevens circuit, went to the Impala Floodlits and then the 15s season. We really had to balance our resources and despite limitations we managed to reach Kenya Cup semi-final play-offs last season,” said Murunga.
Quins have met old nemesis Nondescripts in the play-offs over the past two seasons, losing both fixtures 25-13 and 38-22.
Murunga, who is a career soldier, said that he is now busy with the KDF boxing team that is preparing for the Boxing Federation of Kenya National League that starts tomorrow in Busia.
The Kakamega High School old boy thanked Quins management led by chairman Victor Sudi for the trust they had in him and the support they accorded him the three seasons he was with the club.
Quins are the third most successful club in Kenya Cup, tied with KCB on eight titles won apiece. The Ngong Road outfit last won the Kenyan championship in 2012.
