It came as no surprise the West Australian newspaper trumpeted that Justin Langer will be named the new Australia cricket coach tomorrow after a Cricket Australia board meeting.
It’s just not going to happen.
Langer is certainly a top contender, but there are other considerations like Jason Gillespie, Ricky Ponting, and Brad Haddin, so CA isn’t in a hurry to make a decision.
One thing for sure, once CA gets cracking the new coach sure won’t be from overseas.
South African Mickey Arthur has been the only overseas Australian coach, and that ended in tears with ‘Homework-gate’, which saw Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja and James Pattinson suspended from a Test in India in 2013.
That prompted the then-Australian captain Michael Clarke to describe Watson as a tumour in the team, and Johnson later went on to say the team became toxic under Clarke’s captaincy.
Clarke was dead-set wrong, but Johnson was right on the money, and that was the atmosphere Lehmann took over with the sacking of Arthur.
The new coach will take over in another tense atmosphere since Lehmann has pulled the coat a year early after the ball-tampering fiasco in South Africa.
With no Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, who are suspended, and a new captain in keeper Tim Paine, the incoming coach will have his hands full.
That elevates Ponting in the pecking order.
Currently he’s coaching the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL, and drawing praise for his coaching methods, especially in the way he’s changed England opening batsman Jason Roy into a world-class twenty20 performer.
Ponting has that happy knack, but Langer and Gillespie have the same claim to fame, leaving Haddin as the outsider of the quartet.
That’s not to say Haddin wouldn’t be a success given the chance, but his coaching CV has been limited to fielding at this stage, and that’s not enough for the top job.
Langer has a big problem.
He’s very much the family man, and while he’s living in hometown Perth and so successfully coaching the Western Australian teams in all formats, the thought of being away from home for 10 to 11 months a year may not suit his lifestyle.
The Australian coaching commitment is all-consuming, living out of a suitcase.
If that’s the case, Ponting for the Tests and either Langer or Gillespie for the one-dayers could surface.
Or a different mixture of the talented trio.
But Gillespie must be slotted in somewhere after his outstanding successes overseas.
He first coached Zimbabwe in 2010 before taking Yorkshire from second division into the top flight in 2011 ending with County Championship success in 2014 and 2015 that put him in line to coach England.
Eventually went to another Australian in Trevor Bayliss, but Gillespie ran him close.
He’s now head coach at Sussex, but there’s no doubt the county would release him if he won the Australian job.
These are tense times, requiring the correct decisions.
Cricket Australia can count itself fortunate to have such quality available, and eager to move forward.
Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, and Jason Gillespie are all positive people with big shoulders.
They’ll need them.
tommo
Guest
What? WA newspapers being bias to west Australians. Doesn't happen LOL. As a side note there are only two teams in the AFL according to the West Australian and Ch 7
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I see you point with Langer and Ponting. Mind you Ponting as had expose to Indian Cricket Culture. But I think Dizzy is different. He's spent most of his coaching tenure amongst English 1st Class Cricket. He's had access to the different culture associated with English Cricket. He's not as close to the Australian culture and boys club as made out.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
If they are trotting out new culture, surely it's Gillespie. He's been exposed to a different culture with English Cricket. Langer for me just seems to be much similar to Boof, maybe with slightly more grace.
AREH
Roar Guru
I like the idea of a foreign coach. But surely it will still be Langer? A foreign coach better suits the idea of a clean slate and 'starting again' and you might argue that is the transformation in progress right now. from a cultural and personnel perspective.
Johnno
Guest
I think we need a foreign coach again, someone who is not tied to the toxic baggy green culture... Phil Simmons has an excellent record in rebuilding teams eg he won the T-20 title with the windies, really lifted Ireland, and is now helping the Afghans.. Ottis Gibson would be awesome as well and Kumble... An outsider who is not gonna be part of the review as they never been part of the toxic baggy green culture the last 40 years... Where as Dizzy and JL and ponting have been...
David Lord
Expert
Nice try Simoc, you are delusional to describe.Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson, and Usman Khawaja as bludgers, Clarke as a perfectionist. and Mickey Arthur as trying to change the team culture. Ignorant on all five counts.
Paul
Roar Guru
I'd have no issue with any of these guys being a batting or bowling coach but there's way more to be the national coach than just that and I think we have plenty of other candidates who could meet these other roles more successfully.
Paul
Roar Guru
You comment about the coach being the off field captain is so wide of the mark, David. I can guarantee Virat Kohli is the captain on and off the field and the same goes for guys like Faf and Williamson. It does however, highlight an issue that every side needs to address and that is, who is the leader of the side? In the 70's when Simmo was appointed coach, he was the de facto captain in everything but name however, once Border came of age as a skipper, he made it very clear he was the leader on and off the field. All captains since then until at least until Clarke, have been the leader, but Boof seems to have changed that dynamic in recent times, so it's a good thing he's gone. CA, Paine (as our current captain) and the coach (my money's on Gillespie), need to get this right from day one, then get buy-in from the public and players. You can't have Paine as a captain and someone in the background pulling the strings as this leads to zero accountability which is how we got into the current mess.
Simoc
Guest
Typical DL rubbish. How many times has WA won the Shield or Pura Cup under Langer? Or got close in his lengthy tenure. The difference between a perfectionist like Clarke and bludgers like Johnson, Watson and Khawaja is why Arthur tried for a change in team culture. But we decided to carry on being d/hs and now end up with ball tampering. Of course a tired old man like Lord has long since stopped being relevant to Australian sport.
Matt H
Roar Guru
I'd want Dizzy for tests and Ponting for the short forms. i know Langer has some runs on the board with WA, but he comes across as very parochial (heaping pressure on Matt Renshaw before the season to push is WA boy Bancroft). He also did nothing much to improve the team when he was batting coach between 2009 and 2012. That was not our finest period.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Langer as Test Coach Pointing and Gillispie as limited overs coaches.
Jackpott
Guest
If you are going to go for an overseas coach the person who should be considered is Gary Kirsten. The advantage he has is that he is respected in the sub continent by both Sri Lanka and India. If there is any problems between the teams then you need someone who has the ability to put out these fires. Cricket cannot afford another scandal.
Nick
Roar Guru
Ponting actually captained the side 228 times in ODIs. Win record of 72% - so you got 1 mark out of 2 there. http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/508548.html A far cry better than the days of claiming Bradman had a S/R of 71....but still needs much work.
Malo
Guest
Yes he is
David Lord
Expert
Big Daddy, in a perfect world Ricky Ponting wold be the perfect selection, outsiders won't work. The modern day international coach is virtually the captain of the team - off the field. That's where Ponting has a big head start, having led the baggy greens in 77 Tests for a winning percentage of 62.33, and captained the ODI side 76 times for a winning percentage of 76.14. Ponting knows all about leadership and communication. The current Australian Test side copped such a massive uppercut in South Africa there's no way they can ever take the field again the way they did before with sledging and ball-tampering high on the agenda. Cricket Australia, and the new coach, will be making it crystal clear to the team where the boundaries of behaviour are from the new get-go.
David Lord
Expert
George, what a pity you didn't read my copy before you criticised Brad Haddin's name being mentioned - in passing, and out of contention.
Marshall
Guest
Agree they should put in on Seek.
mickey of mo$man
Guest
no thanks
Damien
Roar Rookie
Dizzy would be my choice. If we want to change the bad boy culture then Langer and Ponting can't be considered as they were a part of the on-field, over the top sledging behaviour. I think Dizzy has the record on the board, and always came across as someone who respected the gentleman's game.
Damo
Guest
Not a big fan of the Perth reporter who may have 'broken' this story about Langer being in prime position. I'd more likely believe Tim Gossage's tweets saying no offer has even been provided. The meeting on Friday is purely to determine the process of selecting the new coach. Sure, Langer is an option but so are a few others. I think it's far from a lay down mesire.