Langer being painted as monster, he’s the first to admit his frailities: Gilchrist

Melbourne [Australia], February 7 (ANI): Former Australia wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist on Monday slammed Cricket Australia for their handling of Justin Langer as coach of the senior men’s team.
Cricket Australia on Saturday accepted men’s team head coach Justin Langer’s resignation. “Justin was offered a short-term extension to his current contract, which sadly he has opted not to accept,” stated an official Cricket Australia release.
“I don’t care to listen to any more of the corporate speak about transition and analysis of the coaching position and all that needs analysis and requirements and evolution – that’s just covering up that the players and certain support staff around that team have spoken and they no longer want Justin there,” Gilchrist told SEN Radio.
“I’m not inside that camp so I can’t question whether they are well-intentioned or not, I’m sure they are well-intentioned from the way they see it. But this (CA) board, I just can’t believe that someone on that board didn’t stand up in the meeting, and they may well have done it, and said, ‘Hang on, how are the optics going to look on this first and foremost, what’s the public going to think after what we asked Justin to do, and really, do we think we should be placing that decision making back to the group that we found ourselves in the very same situation four years ago,” he added.
The contract extension offered to Justin was the result of a thorough review process that evaluated many factors including future requirements of the team and the upcoming extensive schedule of fixtures. The extension was approved by the CA Board and was put to Justin last night. It included the opportunity to defend the T20 World Cup title in Australia at the end of this year.
“As I said, it may well have happened, but whatever the case, the CEO was told to go out there (on Saturday) and front up to the public and carry on with the wording and the continued references to those big keywords that was corporate speak, that’s what I found really frustrating and really challenging,” said Gilchrist.
“He’s been painted by some particular people as a monster, that is not Justin Langer. He’ll be the first to admit he has his frailties, he has his areas of weakness, but gee, he’ll sit and look you in the eye and work it out with you. So, to be painted as a monster, what sort of effect would that have on you personally and what’s the flow-on effect to your family and the people that are nearest and dearest to you, particularly through a period of time when you’re not nearly understanding what is going on, the consistent innuendo and rumour,” he added.
Langer was appointed as the men’s team coach in 2018 after the Sandpaper Gate which saw David Warner, Steve Smith serving out one-year bans. Under Langer, Australia managed to win the T20 World Cup 2021 and then the Ashes. In his resignation letter, Langer stated that he is content with his decision and the speculation regarding his tenure as coach took a toll on his family.
“I think he stated it perfectly in his resignation letter, honesty, respect, trust, truth performance. And then unfortunately, he felt a compelling need to say if that’s been the trouble I apologise, they’re the foundations he bases his life on. I totally agree with him, (but) I unfortunately disagree with him that he felt a need to apologise because that shouldn’t be a situation,” said Gilchrist. (ANI)