Justin Langer has tried to put an end to talk of a feud with Australian skipper Pat Cummins by labelling claims they were at war as “complete and utter rubbish”.
Langer got on the front foot to hose down reports that he was furious with Cummins following the captain’s reluctance to give him feedback about his coaching style and that media leaks had undermined his position heading into the final few months of his contract last summer when it was up for renewal.
The firestorm ignited earlier in the week when Langer’s comments on the BackChat podcast received national media attention, his first in-depth interview about his messy, drawn-out exit from the national coach’s role nine months ago when he quit after being offered a short-term extension.
“Seriously I’ve been blown away by the last few days,” Langer said on Thursday in an interview with Channel Seven.
“Ironically, I spoke to Patty on Monday, we had a long talk about how the team was going, how he’s going, how his family’s going. And then some of this rubbish is complete and utter rubbish.
“I’ve got so much respect for Patty Cummins. I think he’s a brilliant player, I think he’s an outstanding human being. So any thought that there’s war between Patty and I could not be further from the truth.
“There was sort of talk about relating the word coward with Pat Cummins. If you listen to the podcast, I was actually praising Pat, I was praising Finchy, I was praising Tim Paine for giving me the feedback. It was magic. I was actually complimenting them, not criticising them as it’s come out. It turns into a bushfire, what do you do?”
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In the podcast, when asked about Cummins’ feedback, Langer recalled: “He said to me about five times, ‘This might be brutally honest.’ I said, ‘Pat, there is nothing brutal about your feedback. What is brutal is I’m hearing it behind my back through the media or through sources’. No one’s telling me. Tell me,” he said. “People say that I’m very intense, but they’re mistaking intensity with honesty.”
Langer said he had exchanged texts with Cummins on Wednesday night to clear the air and that he was looking forward to reuniting with team members when they fly into Perth for next Wednesday’s Test against the West Indies.
“We texted last night. He’d been at a Christmas party with his family,” Langer told Seven.
(Photo by Getty Images)
“Steve Smith rang me at lunchtime yesterday, we had a great talk, the vice-captain. Again ironically, two days before I got half a dozen birthday messages from all the boys. Nathan Lyon sent me a birthday message, Mitch Marsh, the rest.
“I’ve been in touch with these guys ever since I stopped being in the team and I can’t wait for the Test match to start next week and the reason I can’t wait is I haven’t seen them. I have not seen the boys since I finished in February.”
As for suggestions he needs to move on, Langer denied he was holding onto the past.
“I keep reading about, Langer’s got to let it go, he’s bitter and twisted – oh man. I’ve never been happier in my whole life,” he said.
“I feel really happy. The only thing I’m not happy about is what’s happened in the last few days – it just doesn’t make sense.
“I loved my four years of coaching Australia, it was brilliant. Didn’t end as I would’ve liked – that’s life, that’s the business, it’s a tough business. But I’ve got fond memories.
“Those guys we’re talking about, I ate with them, I drank with them, I celebrated with them, we got through Covid together, we got through sandpaper together, we won the World Cup together, we won the Ashes together. They’re like my little brothers.”
Langer will be part of Channel Seven’s commentary team this summer for the two Tests against the Windies and three more against South Africa.
Curmudgeon1961
Roar Rookie
That Langer is he a bit of a snowflake that needs to harden up? : ) Don't mind me we had Jordan Peterson in town here last night so I am bit over RWNJs. Apparently no-one sees the contradiction of making a living out of telling males to be men and jacking up their victimhood
Curmudgeon1961
Roar Rookie
Not what Elite Humans do isn't it?
Curmudgeon1961
Roar Rookie
Actually Tony I think he does (wrongly of course)
NickNoel
Roar Rookie
I'm lost now. Cowards and now Little Brothers ??
nics
Roar Rookie
What about Caligula? Trajan? Scipio?
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
No-one can explain the headlines for quite a few of these posts
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I'm reminded of this film l saw with my granddaughters called "Emoji"; correct me if I'm wrong. But it was a cartoon about expressions I think. (It's Hard to be Dogmatic)
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
I guess that's up to JL really, jameswm. Nobody wanted to hear any more of this crap a week ago but he dragged it up again in the most unpleasant way imaginable, calling people cowards
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
This guy, in his opinion, has managed to be misinterpreted on a bunch of nasty stuff in an interview conducted presumably on his terms. No wonder the players wanted rid of him. My mum loved this guy. I don't know whether to be sad or angry for him.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I wished someone would mention Marcus Aurelius
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Ha ha
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Reporting and reporters are the major problem.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
So in the battle of Camp JL and Camp Pat, who won? Well JL got voted off the island, but his WA supporters have given him the immunity idol, so I think there are going to be many more tribal councils
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
But is there, and is it? We await the next episode of this series
Barney
Roar Rookie
As I have said before …follow this unhinged lunatic on Twitter and everything will fall into place He’s nuts…
Redcap
Roar Guru
So, this isn't going away any time soon, unfortunately. I assume we'll have some quotes - probably unattributed - from a current player that portray Langer in an unflattering light in the next day or two. And on, and on... Given he's now their 'product', Seven can probably be relied on to keep it simmering for a while yet.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
I’m simply taking a straight reading of it. There's a flaw in your process HR. You are assuming that what you're reading is straight...
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Yet nobody takes them to task Why do you expect to PD?
HR
Guest
Mate, I honestly don't care who the coach is, and I honestly don't have a horse to pick on the Justin Langer thing. You do. You are very much in camp Langer. And good for you. But making accusations of bias against others without looking at yourself in this regard is quite spectacular. I'm simply taking a straight reading of it. Langer is a smart and astute man. He said what he said. Despite your own position, the public aren't interested and certainly not interested to the point where they are willing to protest or agitate in support of him. He's now walking the comments back. He wouldn't be the first and he won't be the last.
Dennis Lupre
Roar Rookie
When you have lost a bloke like Simon O'donnell, one of the lads, it's probably time to readjust yourself.