The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

‘Disgraceful he’s had to put up with this bulls--t’: Ex-skipper and Healy rip into CA over Langer saga

2nd February, 2022
Advertisement
Autoplay in... 6 (Cancel)
Up Next No more videos! Playlist is empty -
Replay
Cancel
Next
Expert
2nd February, 2022
80
17995 Reads

Former Australian captain Kim Hughes has ripped into Cricket Australia for its handling of Justin Langer’s contract negotiations saying “it’s disgraceful he’s had to put up with this bullshit”.

Hughes told Channel 10 that Langer should be rewarded for the team’s recent on-field success, including the Twenty 20 World Cup triumph and Ashes series win over England, with a new deal when his current contract expires in June.

He was also critical of CA’s decision to seek the views of Test captain Pat Cummins and limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch in arriving at its decision on whether to retain Langer’s services.

Langer’s position as national coach is under scrutiny with the CA board set to meet on Friday to hear recommendations from CEO Nick Hockley and head of performance Ben Oliver.

The two executives met Langer last week in a meeting in which details were controversially leaked to the media before CA issued a statement to deny the catch-up had been fiery or that Langer had been asked to reapply for his job.

“As far as getting the Australian captain to give his imprimatur, that’s not required. He’s to captain the side out on the ground,” Hughes said.

“As a coach you’re there to comfort the troubled and trouble the comfortable. And that’s what Justin Langer does very well.

“It’s disgraceful that he’s had to put up with this bullshit.

Advertisement

“He’s absolutely been dishonoured. No other sport in the world would even dare to say you’ve just won the World Cup, you’ve just beaten our arch enemy four-zip like you wouldn’t believe, we’ve never looked any better from a terrible situation created by Cricket Australia and their lack of handling it. For God’s sake.”

Langer is taking a break with family in Perth over the next couple of weeks while assistant Andrew McDonald oversees the T20 side’s five-match series against Sri Lanka.

He is due to lead the team’s first tour of Pakistan since 1998 in March which includes three Tests as well as white-ball fixtures.

The seventh highest run-scorer in Australia’s Test history with 7696 at an average of 45.27, Langer was inducted into the Australian cricket Hall of Fame last Thursday along with former women’s captain Raelee Thompson.

Another Australian cricket legend, Ian Healy, added his voice to the chorus of former players bemused at Langer’s job being under question.

Advertisement

Healy said on SEN Radio many of the senior players who have failed to endorse Langer were part of the set-up prior to 2018 when the team’s culture was brought into question following the ball-tampering scandal at the Cape Town Test against South Africa.

“A lot of those players were well and truly in behind that cultural problem they had four years ago,” Healy said on Wednesday.

“The game is going to look stupid if they sack Justin Langer.

“I don’t think they will sack him but they might manage him out by saying we’ll give you two years and he wants more [on his contract offer]. There might be a stalemate on those fronts.

“Let’s see what the reasons are but there’s going to have to be some big explanations from Pat Cummins, from Aaron Finch, from Steve Smith and these senior players, David Warner, who have voiced their feelings.

Advertisement

“I don’t know which way but it seems like they’re not on board or they weren’t but from all reports they are, they got on board when they got winning again so cricket will look stupid, the powerbrokers will look stupid, I mean.”

Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Mark Waugh, Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne and Mark Taylor are among the former players who have called for Langer to be re-signed as coach.

His predecessor, Darren Lehmann, recently urged Langer to walk away before he was pushed, saying four years in the arduous role was enough.

Sports opinion delivered daily 

   

Meanwhile, AAP reports that Langer would finish with the most successful end to a tenure as Australia coach since John Buchanan if his stint in charge ends this month.

Conjecture over Langer’s position has long been focused on player concerns about his intense nature, and not about on-field performances.

Advertisement

Langer can mount a fair argument about the direction he is taking the team after a maiden Twenty20 World Cup win and dominant 4-0 Ashes victory this summer.

Since Australia began employing full-time men’s coaches in 1986 only Buchanan has ended his role as coach with two successful major campaigns.

Buchanan ended on his own terms when deciding to step aside after the 2006-07 Ashes whitewash and ensuing World Cup win.

Predecessors Bob Simpson and Geoff Marsh also made the call to move on after successful reigns, but both lost their last series in charge in the 1996 World Cup and a 1999 tour to Sri Lanka respectively.

More recently Mickey Arthur was sacked after a 4-0 loss in India, Darren Lehmann resigned after the ball-tampering scandal and Tim Neilsen quit when asked to reapply for his job.

Neilsen had just wrapped up Test and ODI series wins Sri Lanka, after a summer in which a home Ashes loss prompted the Argus Review before Australia’s first unsuccessful World Cup in 15 years.

In comparison, Australia’s on-field success under Langer stands out with the team ranked No.1 in Test cricket after a rebuilding period.

Advertisement

Langer has also made clear at points this summer he has been happy to loosen his grip, letting assistants assume more responsibility.

close