On 13 October 2011, Pat Howard was appointed general manager of high performance by Cricket Australia, answerable only to chief exec James Sutherland.
It was the most extraordinary selection in the history of cricket.
Howard was a former Wallaby, whose father Jake was a teak tough Australian international prop in the 70s, while his grandfather, the legendary Wallaby centre Cyril Towers, reigned supreme in the 20s and 30s.
Howard held the same high-performance position at the ARU, which made sense with so much Wallaby blood flowing through his veins.
But by his own admission his cricket knowledge could have fitted on a pin-head, yet his Cricket Australia appointment, a new position created by the flawed Argus Report, meant Howard was more senior in status than the national selectors and even the Australian captain.
Imagine if Cricket Australia had tried to pull the same stunt on Ian Chappell; the fur would have bee flying.
In his hey-day Chappell was the one and only, and he was brilliant.
There was no head coach, no bowling coach, no fielding coach, no physio, no medical man, no trainer – just a manager and a scorer, and woe betide any manager who butted into cricket on-field business.
Today there are just about as many Chiefs as Indians. The Australian side is top heavy with totally unnecessary hangers on, none more so than Pat Howard.
In the five years he’s held the position, Shane Warne’s called him a “muppet”, while Shane Watson suggested Howard know more about the sport before he doubted Watson’s commitment.
And yesterday Howard said he was turning to retired opener Chris Rogers for advice on the persistent batting failures as the selectors’ jobs are on the line, and Howard’s as well.
Howard’s job situation is simple.
He had no idea when he started and obviously hasn’t learned enough in the interim, so make the position redundant.
Selection chairman Rod Marsh has already advised Cricket Australia he’s retiring when his contract expires next year, and that leaves Mark Waugh, Darren Lehmann, and Trevor Hohns whose contracts are up at the same time.
Lehmann is there because of the flawed Argus Report, that the captain and coach must be selectors. At least Michael Clarke realised he couldn’t captain the side and select as well – a sure recipe for disaster within the side.
Lehmann didn’t.
Players play, coaches coach, and selectors select and never the twain shall meet, so Lehmann should lose his selection job and concentrate on coaching.
Hohns was a long-time chairman of selectors, better known among the players as “Hatchet Hohns” for his delight in dumping experienced cricketers for youth, so return the compliment and dump Hohns so the panel can be reduced to three.
The flawed Argus Report stated the chairman was the only full-time employee with the others part-time.
Ignore that. Make all three selectors full-time on $200,000 a year, with one attending each of the three Sheffield Shield games. When there are no Shield games attend state second X1 games, or first-grade district cricket.
Make Waugh chairman, bring Simon Katich into the fold which might make up for not supporting him in his SCG dressing room spat with Michael Clarke, and bring in Roar expert Glenn Mitchell who has been calling and/or covering cricket at international and Shield level for over two decades.
The team of Waugh, Katich, Mitchell and no Howard will give Cricket Australia more clout with the most important section of Australian cricket – the players.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Mark Waugh is also too close to some in test calculations, through his racing interests, to be objective.
Matthew H
Guest
I think you're talking up the media a bit there champ. The only importance of the media is the rights $ which is what makes sport profitable. Like stockbrokers to a publicly listed company they are a 'necessary evil'.
Matthew H
Guest
$200K/yr? That's unreal. $125K max. What's wrong with this country? Not many make $200K, I guess the no liability nature of the role makes it perfect for the big pay.
Rod
Guest
Watch the abilities change if each player didn't have a CA contract, but were paid according to selection and whether they win/lose/draw. Cricket started dying a slow death in this country when kids stopped playing it at school during lunch or after school in the park. I've seen this first hand in the junior club I'm involved with. The skill level of the majority of 12 year olds across our association is far less as a collective than it was 30 years ago when I played at the same level. Travel to the subcontinent and see the difference. In our association we have seen the drop off of kids playing the T20 age group, and even further drop off to under 10s. CA dropped the ball.
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Sheek Excellent points and I agree , Aussie cricketers are evolving to be a jack of all trades and master of none. I think everybody in cricket gets paid so much money that nobody wants to face home truths - we are not evolving with the game and haven't mastered how to differentiate player retention and management over the three formats . Lehman and R Marsh have been exposed as dinonasaurs , unable to deal with the changing dynamics of cricket .
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
doogs I thought qualifications and experience are two different things .
Rats
Guest
Written on bad taste, William. Sorry.. People write about issues because they care about the game. It is not about winning or losing. When they see something not right for a long time, they react. Because they care about the game... Being an Indian cricket team fan, I have been a critic of BCCI ever since they started disrespecting the game and its public.Not because I hate them or I can do a better job than them. And there are not enough platforms like these in India to convey your ideas and opinions about cricket governing body. To vent out on mediocre management etc... We get frustrated when we see people with power and responsibility (and money) do a mediocre job. They can do much better than what they are currently doing.
William
Guest
Thanks for giving the lay of the land. My point is that many Aus fans dont have the mental capability to accept losing without throwing toys skyward. Whinging sack Ponting, sack the coach, sack Howard etc. Best strategy is to pick 11 players and give them the season in the team come what may, injuries permitting. My claim that you are a whinger is evident in your work. Perhaps you should coach/select the team, perhaps in tandem with Glenn Mitchell. Then we'd never lose!!! Media swings from one extreme to the other. You are a case in point. Australian fans need to get some gonads rather than looking like whinging poms.
Nudge
Guest
Yep and Tim Nielsen lost his job over that one series (argus review) even though he'd done a pretty amazing job considering he took over when Gilchrist, Warne, McGrath, Langer and Hayden had just retired.
David Lord
Expert
handles, I'm not asking you.
Simoc
Guest
I guess this is a ha ha piece. West Australians Katich and Mitchell both mostly known more for there massive egos as opposed to ability. Katich has been over rated for a long period. A self righteous know it all who throws tantrums as soon as someone stands up to him. Mitchell , probably the best commentator in cricket and AFL apparently has a similar problem according to his former work colleagues. But anyway I would rather Mitchell broadcast test cricket and Gerard Wately select test teams, no favorites then. The main thing in selection is dialogue and consistency. Inverarity had it, Marsh talks rubbish so everyone loses faith in the system.
David Lord
Expert
William, I'll give you the factual pecking order of who is important in Australian cricket. First and foremost are the players, without them there is no sport, and their well-being is paramount. Secondly it's the paying public, and their passion for the grand old game at Test level, and others who prefer ODIs, and T20s, but they all very important. Thirdly are the sponsors, without them the players wouldn't be paid, the paying public wouldn't have the facilities they deserve, the grass roots of the sport wouldn't be looked after, and the sponsors wouldn't get their mileage. Fourthly the administrators. The sport is big business and none of the above have the time. the will, or the experience to do the job. Equal fourthly the media, or the paying public wouldn't be able to see the players live on television, hear about their exploits on radio. or read in newspapers and magazines about their idols from those who are known by their christian names and surnames, and the sponsors deservedly receive additional mileage. And lastly there are those like you William, keyboard warriors who haven't the bottle to use their real names who make unfounded and inaccurate accusations, then run away and hide behind their anonymity.
Tycoch
Guest
Rubbish. Cheika does not have the players for the season he has to see how the Brumbies, NSW, Reds, Force & Rebels go. Similarly with the ABs. And England with the Premiership and Gatland with Wales and the 4 regions
doogs
Guest
Mike, it would seem that Johnnie was quoting qualifications. Would that not be fair to say?
Craig Swanson
Guest
Ricky Ponting or Steve Waugh to run Australian cricket. CA Chairman should dump all those that ignored the Argus Review recommendations.Glenn Mitchell would make a welcome addition.. an outsider.. but a knowledgable outsider.
spruce moose
Guest
Yeah, it's a very bizarre thing with cricket. Yet, bowling captains have proved themselves to be just as adept as batting captains.
William
Guest
Gotta love the experts, also gotta love the whingers on here who make the English look like rusted on supporters. If you cant handle losing dont follow sport. Like gamblers losing their nut in a casino when they lose their dough. Since 2008, armchair critics and commentators have rotated their various scapegoats starting with Ponting, the Coach, Selectors, Sutherland etc. It is embarrassing. Sacking Howard will do little, if anything. Same with the selectors/coach. Australia has a decent spine with Warner, Smith, Kwajawa, Starc, Hazlewood. Chopping and changing teams never works. Lord thinks he is a heavywhite because he was involved with WSC. From what i have read of his work, he is a whinging coot.
Mike from tari
Guest
Could the problem be that our best players are not playing enough Shield cricket to pass on experience for those young players coming through & also those players that retire from playing for Australia do not play a couple of years Shield cricket, they only play 20/20.
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Thebush Great points you make . Sutherland has been on the gravy train to long and taken his eye of the ball big time .
peeeko
Roar Guru
thats a problem with cricket, nearly all leadership roles including captain are given to batsmen. they are apparently the smarts while the bowlers are the athletes