The ghost of Justin Langer’s teaching profession is ready to loom over the Check summer time, with the previous mentor’s criticism of Cricket Australia and senior gamers a possible signal of issues to return.
Key factors:
- Per week out from the Australia’s first Check towards West Indies, former coach Justin Langer has renewed criticism over occasions resulting in his departure
- Langer was sacked as Australian coach in February 2022 after ongoing issues about his model and method to gamers
- Langer mentioned he ought to have been provided greater than a six-month contract after the crew’s T20 World Cup win and Ashes success
Langer attracted front-page and back-page headlines on Wednesday when he lashed out at officers over his February axing, whereas accusing gamers of not being up entrance with him early sufficient.
The previous coach additionally claimed nearly all of gamers supported him, whereas labelling sources who leaked issues over his intense nature to the media as “cowards” with agendas.
The feedback come only a week out from Australia’s first Check towards West Indies, the place Langer will step into the commentary field for the primary time with Seven.
They’ve additionally coincided with issues of a rift between present and former gamers over Langer’s exit, and whether or not gamers ought to have stood by the coach.
Talking to the Again Chat podcast, Langer praised former Check captain Tim Paine’s suggestions however claimed the likes of Pat Cummins and Aaron Finch ought to have been up entrance earlier, earlier than final August’s disaster conferences.
“I spoke to Pat Cummins. He mentioned to me about 5 occasions, ‘This may be brutally trustworthy’,” Langer recalled.
“I mentioned, ‘Pat, there’s nothing brutal about your suggestions. What’s brutal is I am listening to it behind my again by way of the media or by way of sources’.
“Nobody’s telling me. Inform me.
“Folks say that I am very intense, however they’re mistaking depth with honesty.”
Langer insisted he was not an indignant coach, and that gamers had misinterpreted his silence and reflection after losses.
He additionally claimed there was no mutiny towards him, arguing that the few with the loudest voices had been the one ones elevating points.
Past that, he was adamant he ought to have been provided greater than a six-month contract after final summer time’s T20 World Cup and residential Ashes success.
“The toughest factor for me of all of it was, I obtained the suggestions (and) I did one thing about it,” Langer mentioned.
“We received the T20 World Cup, we received the Ashes. We had been primary on the earth … And I’ve nonetheless obtained sacked.
“You possibly can’t give somebody suggestions, (they) do one thing about it, after which (for) that to occur.”
Langer has the help of a number of ex-players within the media, and within the interview famous the hardcore nature of former captains Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
However it’s doubtless his views won’t completely wash with present gamers.
A number of folks have pointed to final summer time’s success coming after Langer took a again seat following the mid-year suggestions, with assistants — together with Andrew McDonald — and gamers taking cost within the T20 World Cup.
There have been additionally indicators of suggestions as early because the 2018 Boxing Day Check, after which Usman Khawaja might be seen telling Langer gamers had been “intimidated” and “strolling on eggshells” in The Check documentary.
Then there’s a thought non-senior gamers didn’t really feel comfy being direct with their suggestions, fearing the flow-on results from it.
The problem now looms as one prone to be outstanding by way of the summer time, with Langer to be a daily voice on Australian TV.
AAP
