Can someone tell me?
Pat Howard has been Australia’s general manager of team performance since 2011. That’s a long time. The captain, coach and head of selectors have all changed in that period – but not Howard.
Why does he still have a job?
And what is the point of him being involved with Cricket Australia in any capacity?
I’m not sure what he has done over the past five years. He occasionally chats to the media, not always with skill.
There’s talk he has plenty of energy, is good at thinking laterally and “engaging” at “various levels”, and that he likes to send out emails at odd hours.
He also has a nice head of hair.
I’m sure he works hard, doing whatever it is he does to fill in his day.
Whatever it is though, it’s not very effective.
The Australian team’s performance since 2011 hasn’t been great.
Sure, there have been some highlights – winning the World Cup, beating India and England at home, defeating New Zealand and South Africa in their own backyards, and returning to the number one Test ranking for a short time.
But overall, there hasn’t been improvement.
We struggle to win overseas.
We were thrashed in India, the UAE, Sri Lanka and England (twice).
We lost five Tests in a row, lost a home series against South Africa (twice), and almost created history by nearly losing to Pakistan this week.
The national T20 side is as poor as ever. First-class cricket continues to be undermined. Fast bowlers keep getting injured. Players keep disappointing at Test level. Team stability is down. Selections have become increasingly erratic.
The rebuilding of Australian cricket that was meant to take place out the back of the Argus Review? Hasn’t happened.
I know a lot of this might not be Howard’s fault.
But if it isn’t, that brings me back to my original question – what’s the point of his position again?
Wasn’t he supposed to be this kind of one-stop-accountability-shop? A grand pooh-bah overseeing everything, clearing the “channels of communication” and all that stuff?
Then how come this summer, when the selectors needed a look at the red ball form of Glenn Maxwell, Howard stood back and did nothing as Maxwell was dropped by Victoria for one round of Sheffield Shield?
How come selectors are doing things like picking Moises Henriques as a specialist batsman in Sri Lanka and sending the captain home during a one-day international series?
Wasn’t Howard meant to be ensuring this sort of thing didn’t happen?
His position should be abolished. It doesn’t seem to serve any purpose that couldn’t be accomplished by the captain, coach, CEO of Cricket Australia, or consultants.
But if that’s too hard for whatever reason, then Howard should be let go.
Under his watch the overseas thrashings are getting worse, team instability is getting worse, communication is getting worse, and our team performance is getting worse.
Howard’s role is meant to provide accountability, yet he is the least accountable man in Australian cricket outside of the media.
Whenever his job seems in danger, there is always someone else to take the fall.
In 2013, it was Mickey Arthur.
In 2015, it was Michael Clarke.
This year, it was Rod Marsh, then a mass sacking of players.
Throughout all the turmoil, Howard holds on.
He has talked about the need for Australian players to show resilience. Well, they could learn by watching how Howard stays in his position despite constant failure.
Only they don’t have as many sacrificial lambs at their disposal as Howard.
Is it so important for there to be continuity in his position? Is it so important that his position even exists?
Why should the players be accountable but not the general manager?
Does anyone honestly think things would be worse if we didn’t have Pat Howard there?
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