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Opinion

Did Pat Cummins and his millennial 'spoilt brats' cancel Justin Langer?

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Roar Guru
5th February, 2022
25

Is the current division in Australian cricket related to which side of the political aisle each party stands on?

And which generation they belong to?

Is it Cricket Australia, plus Pat Cummins and teammates, versus Justin Langer, Tim Paine and others?

They succeeded in making it so difficult for Paine he had to resign, now it is Langer’s turn.

Is the new generation flexing their muscles to have only those who fit their beliefs being part of the team?

If you do not follow Cummins’ and Cricket Australia’s attitude towards societal issues, then you have no show.

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If people say that politics does not influence sport they are dreaming, most have a political side or just follow what their mates are saying. To fit in, you must follow the narrative.

Do Paine and Langer have old fashioned beliefs that do not fit modern society? They were brought in to instil a better team culture and they succeeded.

But now their time has run out. The new generation could only handle so much discipline.

We hear all the time how they are the ‘me, me’ generation who are so used to getting their own way, that when someone disrupts their ideology, they are cancelled.

I wrote this recently on The Roar:

“I asked a client who replied that her speculation was that those who were born in the early ’80s to 1995 were of the ‘everyone gets a prize’ generation, told they were special, talented, will be famous, they received participation trophies so now they believe by just existing they deserve that raise, that promotion.

“This came about because in the ’70s, people decided they wanted to boost their kids’ self esteem but the problem is that when people try to boost self esteem, they accidentally boost narcissism instead.

“All that self esteem leads them to be disappointed when the world refuses to affirm how great they know they are.

“Having been told all their lives that they are always right and their way is the best, when they grow up they cannot handle anyone who questions their belief or opinion.”

Are we seeing the millennial generation now influencing Australian cricket?

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They do not like a boss, get rid of him. They do not like a captain, off he goes.

What do they actually want? They win the Ashes and the T20 World Cup and that still is not good enough for them.

If it is not to win, what is it?

Is it a vehicle for Cricket Australia to push their beliefs onto the public and players?

Taking the knee at games, who really wants to see that at a sporting event? And Cummins would be fully in support of it.

What sort of leader are they after? Someone who gives them more freedom, less discipline, and the right to manage issues themselves?

Are the Australian cricket players such spoilt brats they choose who runs the ship?

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Australia captain Pat Cummins pats team mate Josh Hazlewood at the end of play during day three of the First Test Match in the Ashes series between Australia and England at The Gabba on December 10, 2021 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez - CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

(Photo by Albert Perez – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)

It would be interesting to ask them what do they want out of a team environment and their leader? Do they need a leader?

They know all the right answers, maybe they should just do it themselves.

What would you rather have, a team coached to win major prizes with disciplined methods or a team that loses, but everyone feels good about it, are happy and they are making the public aware of societal issues?

It will be interesting to see how they perform under a new coach who they approve of.

I am sure they will let us all know that they are wanting to perform at the highest level and win every game. But will that really happen?

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Under Langer, they performed well, with a perceived heavy hand. What happens when that goes?

Will the nice guy, ‘yes you can do that’, ‘sure, whatever you say’ method be successful?

It is no fault of this generation as it is no fault of previous generations. A modern player may not fit into a 1960s team and vice versa.

So, what is the point of all this? This is just an observation that today’s players are seeking a different type of coach, rather than the strict disciplinarian type.

Will they get the coach they deserve?

It will be fascinating to watch how they perform under someone else if that is what happens.

If they fail and if Langer goes to England (probably not) and succeeds, what then?

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