So much for Gary Kirsten’s imminent appointment as England head coach. It seemed to be an open goal. But when the ECB is your main striker, and they’ve got a conversion rate worse than Emile Heskey, we probably shouldn’t be surprised that they’re taking a touch too many. The expression ‘couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo’ immediately springs to mind. Let’s hope they hit their main target eventually.
When your number one choice – who just happens to be one of the most decorated and respected coaches in the game – declares his interest in the job and flies over for talks, it’s normal procedure to sign him up there and then. However, the rumour is that Kirsten underwhelmed in a presentation at his interview, and now Ashley Giles is overanalysing everything:
Apparently Gilo and Co are worried that Kirsten’s heart isn’t in it because he initially said he’d only be interesting in the job if there were separate red and white ball coaches (even though everyone knew this before he flew in to London a few days ago). If it wasn’t a problem then, why is it a problem now?
What’s more, it seems logical that Kirsten only said he’d prefer split coaches because he’s always been clear that he wishes to spend time with his family. Well, we were led to believe that Giles had made some concessions on this front in order to get Kirsten’s signature over the line. Indeed, Kirsten only flew over for his interview because these concessions had been made.
Consequently, it seems to me – admittedly from some way away on the outside – that the only thing which has changed is Kirsten’s underwhelming presentation. Because he didn’t wow like Ed Smith on steroids, the brain trust is now looking at everything through a completely different lens; therefore statements that weren’t previously a problem suddenly look like problems.
Now I must admit that I’m something of a cynic and a curmudgeon when it comes to things like interview presentations. Yes I admit they’re probably necessary in some professions – if you’re expected to present frequently in the role you’re applying for then it’s only natural that your prospective employers would like to see you in action – but Kirsten was applying for the job of England head coach. Why on earth does he have to dazzle with PowerPoint presentations? The only thing the ECB needs to focus on is his CV.
If I was Gary Kirsten, I’d actually feel a little peeved about jumping through hoops like this. He’s Gary Kirsten for f**k sake. He knows more about international cricket coaching than all the other people in the room put together. If I was him my presentation would’ve lasted two seconds and involved all of four words: “I. AM. GARY. KIRSTEN”. Although I might have added “and you’ll be lucky to have me” at the end.
So now that the pygmy’s are doubting the stature of the man in front of them, where are they going to look now? Apparently there are two prime candidates now that Alec Stewart, who would’ve been my second choice, has pulled out of the running: Graham Ford and Chris Silverwood.
If it was up to me I would appoint Ford in a heartbeat. Like Kirsten he has experience around the world, he’s very well respected, and he knows the county game extremely well having coached both Kent and Surrey. Indeed, Kumar Sangakkara, who I think we can all agree knows a thing or two about the game, said that one of the reasons why he signed for Surrey was the opportunity to work with Ford.
Apparently, however, the ECB might be leaning towards Silverwood. Why? Because he’s English, and they’re very aware of the flak they’ve received for appointing eight foreign coaches to head up the eight Hundred franchises.
Now I’ve got nothing against Silverwood. He’s done a good job as England’s bowling coach and by all reports he’s a nice fella. The players like him and he’d certainly be a good fit for the teams all important (someone quickly pass the sick bucket) ‘culture’. However, he’s incredibly wet behind the ears as a coach.
Silverwood’s resume is threadbare. He only has a couple of years’ experience as a head coach anywhere. Yes he won the county championship with Essex during this time but plenty of coaches have won the county championship. And Essex have just won it again. Therefore it would be dangerous to read too much into this single achievement.
Overall I feel it would be extremely odd to take a chance on an inexperienced coach like Silverwood over tried and trusted candidates like Kirsten (and Ford). The gulf between the candidates is enormous.
What’s more, I fear that Giles and the ECB will pick the wrong man for the wrong reason i.e. they’ll pick the lesser coach simply because they’re worried they’ll be criticised for ignoring English coaches again.
The Hundred already has a lot to answer for. It’s alienating supporters, potentially threatening the county structure, and there’s little doubt that it will hurt the England test team by pushing the championship to the fringes of the season.
However, if it now prevents our test team from appointing the best England head coach for the job (simply because the ECB made a mistake in appointing a plethora of foreign coaches to head up it’s franchises) it would be a new low.
James Morgan
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Has Darren Lehmann not been considered? I know, ball scratching blah blah – but everybody else involved in that episode appears to be back in international cricket.
This England team is close to requiring a quite significant rebuild and Lehmann did that quite admirably with Australia following the Mickey Arthur fiasco.
For those worried about the “English Coach” angle, he is married to a Yorkie lass so could qualify for dual citizenship should that be a “pre-requisite” these days to prove you can coach a couple of dozen cricketers!
The whold thing is turning into a typical ECB Madness Event.
FFS. remember that insurance ad a few years ago? “We won’t make a drama out of a criis”
Well trust the ECB. They really are a ghastly bunch of people
Or even make a drama out of a CRISIS
Bloody ipad keyboard
The problem with any middle management position, which is how I see the England coach, just like Southgate and the FA, is that if the applicant starts to dictate conditions as though he’s in charge of the situation it will ring alarm bells with the executives. Look at Jose and Abramovich. Kirsten has come in saying he wants this and that before he will consider the role, how much more will he start to demand once he’s got his feet under the table. We weren’t at the interview so we don’t know what attitude Kisten came in with. I’m not saying this justifies the ECB’s apparant change of heart, but bosses get nervous when they get dictated to and it doesn’t matter what the applicant’s other qualifications are. I’m not saying they want a yes man, but like so many committee based authorities, it looks that way.
The upside is that Giles has been making the right noises about wanting to prioritise test cricket, so their search should be for a serious long term coach, but any plan has to fit in with ECB plans for the game’s future. If you like, given the present state of the red ball game, can the you make the proverbial silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
I don’t think, given the ECB’s history of recent appointments, they care where the applicant hails from. They want a winner but on their terms. A potential fall guy if you like. This is a sign of our corporate times, where we dish out knighthoods to twats like Alan Sugar.
So they want a yes man not the best man? Sounds entirely feasible for the ECB.
As far as they’re concerned the two alternatives overlap a good deal.
Appoint Kirsten, and make Silverwood the coach of whichever potato-based snack franchise Kirsten has a contract with. Thereby getting someone English in the new competition and giving him some more experience.
Seems simple, doesn’t it?
Silverwood would be much cheaper… now an ECB cost saving necessity seeing as they’re blowing their whole wad on some crisp endorsing projecr…
Marc Evans is correct in his assessment when it comes to the ECB, FA or any sporting structure that started as a grass route game and through the decades has got popular and bigger and now tries to compete in the global economy. Brian Clough applied for the England football manager’s job and was rejected by the FA because they feared he would upset the apple cart. I can’t imagine how Gary Kirsten could do anything other than being a great coach for England and I think we’ve just allowed the best man for the job to slip through our fingers.
I don’t know about Kirsten, but I do know about Ford. A thoughtful unassuming man that worked wonders for Surrey. Watched every day of every game.
No you can’t dictate at interviews however good you think you are. God crickets a bloody mess isn’t it?
The problem with Kirsten’s appointment would have been his total inability to affect the prevailing policy direction of the ECB. It doesn’t matter how good a coach you are if the raw material just isnt there. Until we start to address the county championship ship as the breeding ground for test cricket again I fear whoever coaches the test team will be relatively unimportant.
In order for the above to be effectively addressed we need new influences at the top, not in the relatively rarified atmosphere of middle management, where policy making is limited.
The ECB have shown they haven’t a clue about cricket so why should they pick the best coach? Only such an organisation would talk about a presentation! But usually that is business-speak for we haven’t got real knowledge at our disposal. Giles left Warwickshire in a hole when as a last act as director he sent packing two of their best stalwart bowlers. He had a mania for clearing the cupboard and the batting was in the same state. Consequently the Bears struggled through the season with players wet behind the ears. Saved by only one Club relegated this season. So much for Giles acumen. Maybe he had a good presentation for the Board. The ECB has no interest in Test Cricket hence the lack of enthusiasm for paying for a decent coach. Also they want The Hundred to shine and claim all the attention away from Test cricket. One day we’ll get rid of this bunch and the whole shady crew of sharp practice governance.
I am rather pleased with the appointment of Chris Silverwood.
Perhaps Kirsten made the mistake of saying what he really thinks about The Hundred?…
Another problem with appointing Kirsten would be him skipping parts of the ECB schedule treadmill when all-format players have to go on the lot and don’t get breaks for their families.
Anyway, it’ll be fun to hear the ECB bragging about the homegrown coach when the bowling attack is Archer-Abbott-Olivier-Harmer.