In world sports there are several simple models which have been tested over time as to the management of international and national sporting teams.
Cricket around the globe has always struggled with the old ‘coach and selectors’ model, which in recent times has become the ‘coach-captain-selectors’ model.
The controversy over who picks who and who’s who in the zoo dogs most countries, and the transparency is always an issue for the public.
In the USA and Europe a simple model has been tried, tested and found to be totally professional for over 100 years.
It is used by England FA, Manchester United, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, all the European soccer nations, American Baseball, Football, Ice Hockey and Basketball organisations and many, many more.
It is also used in slightly different forms by Australian sports such as NRL, AFL, ARU and AFA.
Each organisation has an Administrative Arm with a CEO and specialty people, such as is employed by Cricket Australia (CA)
So James Sutherland, Pat Howard and others are employed to keep CA running smoothly off the Park. They are administered by a board and have specialty and basic admin functions.
On the field they appoint a general manager, someone with complete cricketing knowledge and management abilities. His role is to manage the selection of squads and teams in conjunction with the manager/head coach on a daily and annual basis.
He is accountable to the CEO. He goes on all tours conducted by the team and may appoint officers such as team equipment managers, team medical officers, team security and others.
The manager/head coach is a mature, long time player/coach with excellent strategic and management skills, who names the day to day line-up of the team and assists the GM to select the squad on an annual basis.
He is charged with the overall team performance on the park and answers to the GM.
The specialty coaches for batting, bowling and fielding are selected/appointed by the GM and manager and ratified by the board. They will have input into who is to play on a given day and may assist with numerous duties associated with the team.
They may act as co-selectors of the team on a daily basis, according to the wishes of the GM and manager.
In none of these models is the captain a selector! He may be consulted from time to time by the GM and manager.
At the end of each year, the board of CA looks at the overall performance and reviews same with the GM, the manager and all the coaches. If there are shortcomings in performance, the appropriate measures are taken to rectify the situation.
The key to this is on-field accountability and off-field management structures which enables the organisation to grow.
I would submit that Australian Cricket, and Cricket Australia, has a huge opportunity to grow into a billion dollar industry – if it grasps the nettle and runs with the above model.
The success of the Australian team on the field will stop furore in its tracks, galvanise the team behind the GM and manager and coaches, engender huge following from the public and galvanise them behind the team and create money making opportunities which will keep the sport in Australia and around the globe more viable and attractive to sponsors and television.
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