Michael Frangos
It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of Mike Frangos last week, who passed away peacefully, at home, on Tuesday May 19th. We have lost a great friend; the world has lost a force of nature. Mike lived life to the very full, running his family’s restaurant, Beotys in Covent Garden, six days and nights every week, coaching Rosslyn Park minis players every Sunday, working on countless Park committees to organise summer balls, socials, pre-match lunches, the ball boys for 1st XV home games, minis tours, parents’ dinners (oh, the lock-ins in the basement bar at Beotys) whilst raising Maria, Michelle and Theo alongside Gaby in their Wimbledon home.
Mike was nothing if not unreconstructed – roaring at players, parents, referees, fellow coaches, opposition with complete abandon – but never bad manners. His fury on tour in France when the Under 10s gazed uncomprehendingly at plates of carrotte rapée and salade frisée with OLIVES and demanded McDonalds… Mike’s unique belting voice and towering frame soon did the job. They ate it all.
Hung-over freezing Sunday morning training sessions at Barn Elms, fighting with the so-called cooker in the Portacabin and Mike screeching to a halt, striding in with his arms full of bacon for me to prep a million bacon rolls… woe betide the punter who asked for it to be “more crispy”. Mike soon declared him to be an ungrateful sod – as they undoubtedly were.
I was privileged to co-sponsor, with Mike, a whole bunch of minis tours in the U9s to U12s years. Mike’s passion for getting it right, the food, the fun, the fanatical attention to detail – these tours will live on forever in the memory of the tourists and the parents. Mike’s towering presence on the touchline, be that an U8 training session or a first team clash against Esher was a bellowing inspiration. Unmissable. Impossible to ignore. His fierce love for the boys and his commitment to the club ran deep, and he was never afraid to show his emotion – he loved life and wanted us to love it too. So, farewell, big man, you roaring tower of strength and generosity and ferocious kindness. You are and will be much missed, and the world is a poorer place without you. Thanks for the memories; they will never be lost.
You will be furious to miss your party, but we promise to do you proud.
Susie Cuff