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We got a lot off our chests: Justin Langer

3 minute read

Coach Justin Langer says he has spoken to players about their complaints and concerns, seeking to get everyone on the same page before the Twenty20 World Cup.

JUSTIN LANGER, coach of Australia.
JUSTIN LANGER, coach of Australia. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Australia coach Justin Langer has attempted to clear the air with disgruntled players while seeking to reset focus to the Twenty20 World Cup and Ashes.

Player unease about Langer hit a crescendo in recent weeks, prompting Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive Nick Hockley to release a public statement backing the coach to oversee the team this summer.

Hockley and CA chairman Earl Eddings then tackled the elephant in the room during a call with on-field leaders Tim Paine, Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins.

Langer, who remains out of contract beyond his current deal that runs until mid-2022, has since debriefed with players.

"We all got a lot off our chests," Langer told the West Australian newspaper.

"I think we are all in a better place now.

"The situation at the moment is very tough but I am confident that I will become a better coach from it.

"When you win, everyone is happy and gets on with things but when you are losing, that is when the finger pointing starts and people look for excuses.

"We have had a rough trot in recent times but we retained the Ashes only a little while ago and were ranked No.1 in Test and T20 cricket not that long ago. Get back to winning and you won't hear about anything else."

It comes a week after Usman Khawaja declared Langer is the right man to coach Australia, lamenting how the under-siege mentor would feel like players "are stabbing him in the back".

Australia's World Cup campaign begins in the UAE on October 23, while some squad members will soon depart for the second phase of the Indian Premier League.

It is the second time this year that Langer has sought to address complaints about his intensity, mood swings and other issues.

Leadership consultant Tim Ford canvassed players' views about Langer and other topics after the 2020-21 summer.

Ford's review was passed onto Langer, who raised the subject as part of a camp on the Gold Coast that preceded this year's T20 tour of the West Indies.

"I left the camp feeling like Superman," Langer said in July.

"I'm not a great coach yet, I'm aspiring to be a great coach.

"I was really honest about that and it was a really, really uplifting two days."

Australia suffered 4-1 T20 series losses in the Caribbean and Bangladesh, with Pat Cummins headlining the list of stars to skip the trip.

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