Kelly

Dr Peter Phillips and coach René Simoes talk about two guys who need a hug! These two gentlemen have not been having a good time, recently. They have very little in common, other than the chromosome that makes them men. Phillips is a career politician, while Simoes has a career in football. Simoes gets by with the English he knows, while Phillips is an orator/debater of no mean order.

Their biggest similarity is that, in terms of taking themselves and their 'followers' to the next level, well, they both have had some challenges. Dr Phillips lost again to Portia Simpson Miller in the race for presidency of the People's National Party (PNP), while coach Simoes was unceremoniously dumped from his job as technical director of the Reggae Boyz. I feel it for both of them because I believe each guy genuinely thought he was doing the right thing. Each one also thought he would surely succeed. Both were proven to be wrong!

The rest of us can always claim wisdom in hindsight. But the fact is, coach didn't get his tactics or his team selection right. And Phillips' decision to run for the top job for the second time in about two years wasn't the world's greatest decision either. Turns out he was a little closer to achieving his intended objective than Simoes was in his. You see, even if we end up qualifying, it would be thanks to interim coach, Theodore Whitmore; not Simoes. But let's credit both men for at least taking on challenging tasks.

Who's worse off

( L - R ) Simoes, Party members greet Dr Peter Phillips, challenger for the leadership in the PNP, at the handing out of forms for delegates at Mico College - Junior Dowie / Staff Photographer

I'm not sure who's worse off though. Simoes, like any coach with even a drop of sense, will get another job. It might be coaching a minor league team in some backwater part of Brazil, but he should be okay. If Phillips was to leave the PNP though, where would he go politically? Not the green side of the house, definitely! On the plus side for Phillips, he wasn't told to get out by his boss. Simoes was fired at 1 a.m. Ouch! Simoes also had to leave behind the car, house and other perks he got with the job. Phillips lives in Jamaica and owns his own stuff.

I won't opine (at least in public) as to whether Captain Burrell or the PNP delegates did the right thing. I am giving them the benefit of the doubt that the decisions were made after careful analysis and weighing of the perennial pros and cons. But if both guys got the negative end of the stick because decisions were made hastily, then that's tough. We'll see if our football programme and the Opposition are better off.

Buy these two nice guys a beer at: daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com.