Cricket Australia has sensationally fired up over a report which claimed, ironically, to reveal details of a fiery meeting held last week.
Fox Sports says Australian men’s coach Justin Langer was involved in a heated meeting with CA heavy hitters Nick Hockley and Ben Oliver, regarding the former’s contract.
Langer is currently contracted to coach the national team until mid-this year, essentially ending after a tour to Pakistan in March and April.
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He’s yet to be offered an extension or told he is no longer needed. Interestingly, new Australian captain Pat Cummins has failed to endorse a Langer extension when asked about it publicly.
Last year senior players – including Cummins – confronted Langer and after some mediation it was agreed the latter would relinquish some responsibilities to assistant coaches Andrew McDonald and Michael Di Venuto.
In the months following that decision the Australian men’s team won a Twenty20 World Cup and then an Ashes series convincingly.
But after the report about Friday’s meeting surfaced on Monday, Cricket Australia came out all guns blazing and fired off a statement to media.
“There were a number of inaccuracies in a story… concerning a meeting between Australian men’s team head coach Justin Langer, Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley and EGM of high performance and national teams Ben Oliver on Friday,” the message read.
“While we do not comment on confidential conversations, we felt on this occasion it was important to correct the record.
“Among other false claims, we reject outright the assertion that the meeting was fiery or heated and that Justin was asked to reapply for his job.
“Justin has always been contracted as head coach through to the middle of this year and we have consistently maintained that discussions around the future of the role would commence following the conclusion of the men’s Ashes series.
“Friday’s meeting was the first time that we had the opportunity to meet together in person, reflect on the team’s success and discuss the road ahead.
“We will continue with this process and make an announcement once it is complete.”
While barely any current Test players have publicly endorsed a contract extension for Langer, the coach has received plenty of support from former teammates, and even one-time Ashes rival Michael Vaughan.
https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan/status/1488069983615729666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/damienmartyn/status/1488274172849844224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
On Monday night Langer’s former Test captain, Mark Taylor, was baffled by the reports.
“I don’t understand that, if that is the case,” Taylor told 2GB radio.
“He had an issue… where his coaching style was criticised by the current players, and he’s seemed to have sorted that out.
“I think the Australian cricket authorities would know the sort of coach they’re getting from Justin Langer. It’s an evolving coach.
“Obviously he’s getting better at it and the side is responding to it. So they know what they’re going to get from Langer.”
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