Coaches, Captains and Squads - Split roles in Cricket – Opinion - Part 1
The issue of splitting workload is not a new phenomenon in sport. Moreover, resting players in order to keep them fresh has been done on a regular basis in almost every team game but such remains the nature and demand sports today that it appears the coaches
and managers have also fallen into the trap.
The owners or boards, when one talks about cricket, simply want results as they invest heavily on players, but it appears that they are now more concerned about those people who manage those star names. While players have the luxury to opt out of a particular
format, owing to various reasons, coaches certainly do not fall into that category.
They spend extensive time on planning, and handling day to day affairs, ranging from off-field problems to individual mentoring – they simply need to stand out.
Football has its own way of protecting managers by giving them lucrative contracts, as they have to be on the touch line on a week to week basis.
One can argue that quality coaches are not in abundance, but in cricket it depends on the format which is given priority. As much as cricket stands out in terms of popularity, it is still a contest which has the longest duration.
Different versions have different requirements, and embracing different conditions remains a tough art to master. It is tough on an individual, be it a player or coach, as balancing work and family life can be a tough ask.
If you have had a promising career as a player, you can indeed retire and put everything behind you, but it is actually when you sit idle, you realize the beauty of the sport. One then turns to coaching, and in no time, the game again consumes all your energy
and time.
The balancing act nonetheless, is key to a successful life, and thankfully the cricket boards have finally shown leverage in dealing with that concern. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-Flower-c44362, the current Head Coach of England, is a perfect example of a capable man you would want at
your side.
He was immensely consistent as a player, but what stood out was his calm, yet authoritative nature. After retiring from the game as one of the best batsmen, he took over as England’s assistant coach, and worked his way to become the Head Coach, and consequently
their Director of Cricket.
That elevation does not come without sacrifices, but he set out in his own quiet manner, and guided http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Jason-Neil-Gillespie-c66461 heights, something they have never been able to achieve. However, it meant that his family life was being overlooked in the face of spending
hours and hours in planning and touring. It was reported by team manager http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hugh-Morris-c63550, that he spends around 60% of his time away from his family.
Despite all the success, he was ready to relinquish his role altogether, but such remained his aura that even the stubborn ECB, who had openly denied any leverage to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KP-Pietersen-c1806, was ready to compromise, rather than watching their most successful coach
become the latest victim of the relentless schedule.
Continued in Part 2....
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