Following the sacking of Peter Moore, the merry-go-round of the ECB has started up again with the search for a new head coach. There are plenty of English coaches who would like to have their names put in the hat for the job this summer, with series against New Zealand and Australia to come. However, as England try to win back the urn from the old enemy, it’s two men who tried for years to make sure that they didn’t that are at the front of the running pack for the job.
Does an Australian Hold the Key to England’s Ashes Success?
Jason Gillespie and Justin Langer both have been picked as favourites to take the role, mainly because of their achievements in the past few years, but also because of their many playing credentials too. Both men have been retired for some time now and have used their talents and experiences in order to help other develop in their respective fields.
Langer has been coaching in the Big Bash League (BBL) for the last few years, leading his Perth Scorchers side to two consecutive titles in 2013 and 2014. Before this, however, he was appointed Australia’s batting coach under Tim Nielsen in 2009, as well as Nielsen’s second in command. Langer has vast experience facing Australia playing in numerous Ashes series for them. He opened the batting alongside Matthew Hayden for many years and was known for his efficient run making and prolific shot selection at the top of the order.
Langer does have experience of the English game, representing Middlesex and then Somerset in the latter stages of his career, before eventually announcing his retirement from all forms of cricket soon after his last season at the latter in 2009, a few months before being handed the Australian batting coach position. Langer is still contracted to the Perth Scorchers until the end of the 2015-16 season; another eight months away. England will be unwilling to wait that long for one man, so will he want to leave his winning Perth team for a shot at making his mark on the international management stage? He did, however, play alongside the now ECB director of cricket, Andrew Strauss back in his early days at Middlesex in which they had a good working relationship on and off the field.
Jason Gillespie is another player who had an illustrious career for the Aussies, but as a bowler rather than a batsman. Gillespie was a member of what some people think was one of the best bowling attacks in the world. Alongside Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Brett Lee, Gillespie was part of a side that dominated world cricket at that time and won almost everything possible including three back-to-back World Cups.
Gillespie currently finds himself at the head of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, with six of his players being represented by England in the recent Test squad in the West Indies. His hard work and strong mental ethos led to his side winning the County Championship in 2014. He already holds good contact with the ECB regarding his players’ international commitments. Pundits have praised the way he has built his side at Yorkshire by combining youth with the experience already there, as well as bringing in players to bolster his side when others are away. Some pundits have gone as far to say that they feel the England team should be modelled on the way Yorkshire are set-up currently.
Gillespie has recently moved his family over to England full-time and this is a sign of his happiness and stability within his current job. Whether he would want to leave and follow this England side around the world for a vast majority of the year would be something he would have to discuss personally and decide upon. If he did get offered the job and decided to take it, then he would already have a tremendous working relationship with most of the squad either through experience of playing against them (Ian Bell and James Anderson) or coaching at Yorkshire.
Both men have tremendous records and would understand the work ethic of the Australian team currently and would certainly have ideas as to how to bring the urn home once again. The issue is whether or not the Barmy Army want an Australian at the helm of the ship, or even if an Australian wants to be there himself.
