Although Waisale Serevi's return as Fiji's Sevens coach elated his army of fans throughout the world, officials at the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) are considerably less gleeful.
The 40-year-old's reappointment came through pressure applied by sponsors and supporters bitterly disappointed at the Islanders' 2007-08 IRB Series efforts, and was made on the sufferance of his paymasters.
Since 'The Wizard' resigned as Fiji's player-coach in July 2007, FRU administrators have been scathing of his earlier conduct, although none was prepared to make their allegations on the record.
Chief among the assertions were he had a cavalier attitude to financial budgets, was exacting to work with, had scant regard for paperwork, constantly exceeded his responsibilities and undermined the team's 2008 Hong Kong campaign with criticism of his successor, Joe Savour, while mingling with the team.
Nor did Serevi endear himself to the Fijian rugby hierarchy when verbally approving a contract offered to him in August - prior to informing the media he held reservations about several conditions it imposed and not signing the document.
Serevi then departed for England, where he received an honorary degree at Leeds Metropolitan University and participated in a rugby league tournament. A month passed before Serevi returned to continue negotiations. The eventual result was him accepting each and every one of the union's original terms. The major concession for him was his agreement to retire as a player and, henceforth, concentrate solely upon coaching.
