Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley has released a statement backing under fire national coach Justin Langer, who has been targeted with leaks and accusations that he’s contributing to player unrest.
“Justin (Langer) has done an incredible job in raising the culture, values and behaviours of the Australian men’s team since he took on the role in 2018,” Hockley said.
“His efforts have restored public faith in the national team which is a side all Australian’s can be incredibly proud of.
“He is contracted as Head Coach through to the middle of next year with the focus now on a successful T20 World Cup campaign followed by the home Ashes defence in what is one of the most anticipated Series and summers of cricket in Australia for many years.
“Like many in the community and around the world the team has had an extremely disruptive and challenging 18 months during the pandemic. Despite those challenges the side has had great success in One-Day, Test and T20 cricket, when all players were available.
“Justin, his coaching staff and the leaders within the team have an equally important part to play in ensuring a successful summer ahead for the Australian cricket team.”
Aaron Finch says the tension behind bubble life could be the reason why there have been leaks about Langer’s man management style.
There have been recent reports of Langer’s fracvtious dealings with players and Cricket Australia staff, including in a column by former CA media man Malcolm Conn in the Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday, entitled ‘Grumpy coach: How Langer’s volatile approach is wearing Australia down.”
Conn wrote he admired Langer as a player and for playing a pivotal role in Australia’s recovery post-Sandpapergate but added ‘players are being worn down by the volatile, high-stress environment he inhabits as coach, and his folksy, clichéd motivational homilies.
“As one player told the Herald: “It becomes draining and affects everything.”
Former captain Adam Gilchrist has insisted the issues need to be sorted out or they could “derail the summer”, with an Ashes series on home turf against England later in the year.
Finch, speaking to Sydney’s Big Sports Breakfast radio show, was asked about why there were leaks coming from the Australian camp putting the coach in a bad light.
“It’s a good question, and I don’t know the answer to that,” Finch said.
“All I’ll say is when you lose, everything is magnified and everything is highlighted.
“As I mentioned with the players on tour with bubble fatigue and guys not having any escape while you’re on tour, you’re locked into cricket mode almost 24/7 because you can’t get out and go for a coffee down the road or you can’t go out for dinner somewhere else.
“You’re literally just confined to the hotel 24/7. When you’re just around cricket the whole time, that can consume you so you get a little bit of burnout from that as well. And when you’re losing that just adds multiple layers to it as well.
“As everyone knows in sport, wins and losses are what counts and unfortunately we haven’t been up to the mark in the last eight-ten months.”
Langer’s star has dipped after a Test series defeat to India and T20 series losses to West Indies and Bangladesh.
There have been reports of his involvement in a public confrontation with a Cricket Australia media staffer after a video was posted to cricket.com.au showing Bangladesh celebrating victory.
Speaking on SEN earlier this wek Gilchrist said the leaks and Langer’s position must be resolved.
“The main concern is the fact that there’s leaks getting out, because the journalists I did speak to on Friday – after they got in touch with me – were saying they’ve just got direct lines into the team. So, that’s a concern – and Justin is aware of that,” Gilchrist said.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I was an ol' skool metal and timber teacher. If l see former students down town they'll stop n chat or buy me a coffee. We invariably talk about how soft some teachers were in the head.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Not being selected for 9 years cruelled Boof's ability to make test centuries. You dam him with feint praise.
Ian
Roar Rookie
A good question when Jason Gillespie was available,at least for the Test side.Look,I don't dislike Langer but can't help feel that a spell away from the high pressure international game can only benefit him.He's still a young man an I've no doubt he can come back bigger and better.
Loosey
Roar Rookie
So why'd they make him coach then?
Ian
Roar Rookie
I respect your opinion but we'll have to disagree on this one.Langer's been renowned throughout his cricket career for being too intense about the game.By his own admission,that resulted in him being dropped and missing the 1993 Ashes tour as a result.My problem with him as a coach is that it seems to be too much about him.It's his team,they're his boys,I'm in charge and we'll do it my way.Reading and hearing the reports of the latest blow up,I honestly believe Langer should just perhaps grow up a touch.Being the grumpiest child in the class room is not going to do you any favours in the long term,particularly in the terrible covid world we now live in.He is actually dealing with grown men,men with wives and families.He's not coaching the under 12's who will hang off his every word.Finally I do agree with you that every player may be handled differently but I strongly believe that no player should be verbally abused.If they're no good,drop them,don't abuse them...Just my humble opinion!
Shire
Roar Rookie
not allowed to have two south australians in a row
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Coaches are a funny thing in cricket. They are handy for direction, tactics, sorting out fielding, motivation, experience, technique and consul. After that, what happens out on the field is really out of their hands. It's a bit weird really compared to footy coaches making tactical decisions on the go. Moving players, dragging players and what not are all up decisions up to the coach. In old cricket it's very much in the hands of the captain and his team. For all that, it's a rare coach to of any sport to lift a team way beyond their talent. Maybe our boys just aren't good enough at the moment? If they (and the CA minions) aren't good enough for Langer, then that seems like his problem.
Micko
Roar Rookie
They still have people employed from that farcical episode?! :sick:
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Oh excellent. I been thinking of doing the Gabba one (not sure this year now darn it), finally convinced mrs to let me. Lol. I didn’t know the memberships did stuff like that. I went to a cricket event few years back, Tony Grieg’s brother run it. Was ok. Few hundred people there. Cricketer’s telling the stories.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
I think that's an astute observation Paul.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
WACA membership
Peter Farrar
Roar Pro
Of course Langer should be intense and stern where needed. He's also compassionate and values driven when the situation calls for it. Our batting is ordinary and Langer isn't always going to respond to that with telling everyone to relax and not worry. At times he needs to demonstrate we need to be better. It's what a coach does.
josh
Roar Rookie
:angry: the Cricket Australia media team is for the Australian Cricket team only. :angry: Seems to be the approach. if you are winning, you don't focus on this stuff. When you are losing you need to shift the focus elsewhere.
Marty
Roar Rookie
Ultimately Langer will be judged on results, which haven’t been great of late. If things don’t go well in the Ashes then serious questions will be asked. As far as the gossip column stuff goes, thats about all it is. These are high pressure environments, there’s bound to be a few crossed words here and there. Bubble life obviously hasn’t helped. Player complaints need to be taken with a very large pinch of salt. Let’s not forget that Langer came into a situation where the playing group had been given the opportunity to manage its own behaviour through a more ‘hands off’ coach, and had failed miserably. That being said I think it would be a good idea if someone else took over the T20 role.
Kalva
Roar Rookie
Reminds me of the old saying..”there are two types of coaches…those who have been sacked and those who are about to be sacked”
josh
Roar Rookie
I imagine he'd have some KPI's not just win/loss. But like: moving up the rankings (somehow). Making finals of tournaments Developing players Promoting values in line with CA's charter. Promoting synergy Displaying behaviors required of a national coach etc...
josh
Roar Rookie
This reeks of the old AFL line, the coach as the full support of the board, i.e. You won't be required next week, pack your bags.
Paul
Roar Guru
I think at the time Langer was appointed following Boof's departure, it was not so much about employing a coach who could help with the actual cricket side of things, but more about a bloke who could express the values CA were rightly concerned, had gone out of the game, thanks to Warner and co's stupidity. In that sense, Gillespie was probably the better cricket coach, while Langer was more obviously about cricket values the spirit of the game.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Wow
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
OMG!!!! What membership? I got to do that!!!!