The imminent departure of West Indies Coach Stuart Law created the opportunity for many Caribbean-born cricket knowledgeables to fill the gap as an interim measure, and possibly hold the position permanently, but one Bajan coach does not like the job.
Law, who has been at the helm of coaching West Indies cricket for just over a year, this week announced his resignation, but said that he is staying on for a few more months, which gives the Caribbean administrators that time for someone to hone the team for next year’s May to July One-Day International World Cup tournament in England.
Law takes up a post with the English county, Middlesex, in January and during his last months on the job will oversee the Windies in upcoming away series against India and Bangladesh.
The two-Test, five ODIs and three Twenty20s tour of India begins with a Test match next Thursday. The Windies will move onto Bangladesh in November for two Tests, three one-dayers and three Twenty20s.
The limited overs games in this Asian tour are a warm-up for the World Cup next year and the Cricket Windies Board’s concern is that they need a coach for the team when Law departs in January in what Board President Dave Cameron’s describes as a desired ‘seamless transition’.
CWI directors were set to meet Wednesday to discuss the possible replacement.
Prior to that meeting the Barbados Cricket Association President and CWI director Conde Riley told Barbados TODAY newspaper that a number of regional coaches will be up for consideration.
“We have a cadre of coaches right now working with the various West Indies teams, and then there is always the option of going to the market through the various firms that hire these high-profile coaches,” he said, and added, “homegrown coaches can apply, we have had several regional coaches such as Rohan Kanhai, Clive Lloyd, Malcolm Marshall, Gus Logie and Roger Harper, to name a few. We have had several West Indian coaches over the years, so we would not rule out the possibility of a regional coach.”
But Former Barbados all-rounder Franklyn Stephenson, who currently heads a cricket coaching academy bearing his name is warning Caribbean colleagues about the job, which he told Barbados TODAY usually goes to ‘somebody’s friend.’
Stephenson, whose bowling career was cut short after he joined cricketers on a tour of South Africa under the inhumane Apartheid era, believes the CWI practices favouritism in selecting coaches because board members like directing that tutor from behind the scenes.
“Somebody has got a friend somewhere,” he said adding, “you don’t give persons the job unless they are a friend of yours because chances are they may have other ideas.”
He charged that CWI directors select certain individuals for the coaching job, “because then that person is supposed to be doing what you want them to do.”
“It has got to be the most frustrating thing for anybody to come from any part of the world and coach West Indies cricket.”
