Conn's other attack piece in todays' SMH is truly appalling. A classic case
of a self-important, piqued hack using their platform for personal payback.

"Enough is enough: Time for CA to make call on Langer
MALCOLM CONN

Pat Cummins was supposed to be launching a fantastic player-driven solar
energy initiative yesterday supporting their local clubs but, instead, it became about Justin Langer.

Itias always about Justin Langer. Between Cricket Australiaias failure to
show timely leadership and Langerias inability to read the room, the
coaching saga continues to overshadow cricketias good news stories. Australiaias gallant womenias team were playing for the Ashes against England in Canberra yesterday, too. But the hot topic of the day was Langer as the
CA board prepares to meet today to discuss his future.

A decision must be made for the good of the game.

It would be a surprise if his contract was extended beyond its current end
date of June.

When details leaked on Monday of a meeting between Langer, chief executive
Nick Hockley and high-performance manager Ben Oliver canvassing various
options that Langer felt were unpalatable, my phone rang hot. The theme
across the calls was the same.

iNiNItias always all about him,iaia said someone close to the squad. iNiNHeias sucking the oxygen out of the room.iaia

All of this could have been avoided with strong, long-term leadership from
CA.

The Langer issue has been rumbling on behind the scenes for years, during
which Cricket Australia has failed to act on regular reviews and direct feedback raising ever greater concerns about his intense and volatile micromanagement style.

It became public a year ago when first exposed by the Herald and exploded
last August when the players and support staff staged a mutiny that
resulted in Langer being pushed into the background. That was the time to
begin discussions, do a thorough examination of the problems and start succession planning. But CA has been in turmoil since the disastrous
memorandum of understanding dispute with the players in 2017. That was magnified by Sandpapergate in South Africa the following year and crowned
with COVID-19 chaos last year.

CA is onto its third chairman and third chief executive in about three
years, outstripping our run of prime ministers. Cans have been kicked down
the road.

Instead of giving Langer the chance to go out a conquering hero after what always shaped as a successful Ashes campaign, he has now been dragged into
a humiliating post-Ashes vacuum. Whatever Langerias faults as a coach iV and
I have seen them close up after travelling with the team as media manager during the 2019 World Cup and Ashes iV he deserves better than this.

He remains an icon of the game. With Matthew Hayden, he formed the most successful opening batting combination in Australian history.

Langer was also an important statesman when he was appointed coach after Sandpapergate. His standing in the game played a significant role in
regaining the trust of the cricket-loving public. But his greatest strength
as a player is now his greatest weakness as a coach.

From his brave debut against the West Indies in 1993 to his dropping during
the 2001 Ashes tour, when fellow West Australian Damien Martyn was recalled
to replace Langer, the nuggety lefthander fought tooth and nail to maintain
his Test career.

His unexpected recall for the last Test in 2001 and fairytale century
opening with Hayden reshaped history and realigned Langerias career.

But that relentless, dogged, day-to-day intensity when applied as national coach has worn everyone down. Langer says that he has changed in the six
months since the mutiny, but he had ample time to change in the three years before that and didniat.

During a player and support staff camp at the end of June last year,
white-ball captain Aaron Finch revealed Langer had received iNiNconfronting feedbackiaia following another review by leadership consultant Tim Ford and handled it iNiNbrilliantlyiaia.

When Langer was asked at a press conference about the feedback, he refused
to answer the question but instead attacked the journalist. iNiNThe only
thing I have found confronting are your stories,iaia he said.

After the squad returned from a difficult tour of the West Indies and Bangladesh little more than a month later, there was the mutiny. From that moment Langer appeared a dead man walking. Enough was enough."

First class jernalism from the doyen of Sinney jernalists.
fx: *spit*



alvey

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