According to Australian media reports Justin Langer’s coaching style is not liked by many of the players. The reports suggested that the coach is no longer abke to cope up with the demands of three-format.
“Dressing-room sources say that over a gruelling summer, Langer’s management style wore thin with some players, who on top of having to live in a bubble for months on end say they have become drained by his intensity and mood swings,” the SMH reported.
“…some senior players are frustrated at the atmosphere in the team being brought down by the coach’s shifting emotions and what they see as too much micro-management. They say that has extended to bowlers being bombarded with statistics and instructions about where to bowl at lunch breaks including during the fourth and final
“Couldn’t be further from the truth,” adding that “leadership isn’t a popularity contest.”
“If players just want someone to tickle their stomachs all the time then I’m not doing my job.
“It’s actually the opposite of what happens. I never talk about statistics to the bowlers, ever. I don’t go to any of the bowlers’ meetings. That’s what the bowlers’ coach is meant to be doing,” he said.
“I don’t do any of that. I never, ever, ever speak to any of the bowlers about any of that sort of stuff. And the learnings of the last few months are I should start looking at that more.”
Justin Langer still have a contracy of one year and six month with Cricket Australia and he might get an extention keeping 2023 World Cup in mind.
“Players believe Langer means well and respect his legacy in the sport but some have turned more and more to assistant coach Andrew McDonald for support because they increasingly don’t know where they stand with the boss,” it read.
“During the Brisbane Test Langer ordered a player not to persist with a habit of jamming a toasted sandwich in his pocket to eat on the field.”
“…the coach’s headmaster-like manner and difficulty coping with pressure was in the summer increasingly incompatible with a team consisting largely of experienced players in their late 20s or 30s.”
But Langer defended the decision, saying such a habit was unacceptable from a national cricketer as the team was in pursuit of a Test match victory over a side like India.
“You’re walking on against India, we’re trying to win a Test match and one of our players walks on with a toasted sandwich in his hand,” Langer said.
“I spoke to (the player) about it at length yesterday. I said, ‘How do you reckon it looks, mate?’ Is that not something I should say?” he said without divulging the name of the player.
