53
KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram has criticised ex-players who refused to apply for the national team’s head coach role through the channels set up by the PCB.
Wasim was part of a panel appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to help shortlist candidates for a new head coach in the wake of Waqar Younis’ resignation following Pakistan’s early exit from the World T20.
Former Pakistan batsman Mohsin Khan, who briefly served as head coach in 2012, reportedly said he was not willing to be interviewed by a panel containing Wasim and another ex-national skipper Ramiz Raja, his ‘juniors’, and that he would send his application directly to the PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan.
Aaqib Javed, the former Pakistan fast bowler and ex-UAE coach, reportedly said he would not apply since he felt the panel was set on hiring a foreign coach.
While he did not mention their names, Akram seemed to allude to Mohsin and Aaqib when he made his comments to a local news channel.
“What sort of attitude and mindset is this?” Wasim said. “One former player said I will apply and talk directly to the chairman. When you have such a mindset how can one expect them to work well with the Pakistan team?”
The job eventually went to Mickey Arthur, the former South Africa and Australia coach. Stuart Law, Andy Moles and Dean Jones were the other three names on the PCB’s shortlist.
Wasim said Arthur needed time to bring about a change in Pakistan’s fortunes.
“One should not expect him [Arthur] to bring about improvement immediately as our team is currently languishing at ninth position in the ODI rankings,” Wasim said. “Even he will require time to turn things around.”
Pakistan’s next major assignment is a tour of England in July, which will include four Tests, five ODIs and a T20I. Wasim predicted a tough tour, particularly for the batsmen.
“Don’t expect them [England] to prepare flat pitches for our batsmen. The Duke ball will seam and swing on grassy pitches and it will be a real test for our batsmen to negotiate the ball,” he warned
Wasim did not agree with the decision of the new selection panel, chaired by Inzamam-ul-Haq, to leave Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal out of the training camp for the England tour probables on disciplinary grounds.
“If we drop players on purely disciplinary grounds then let me tell you many of our era would not have even played for Pakistan including myself,” Wasim said. “I think if a player has a problem it is the job of the team management and captain to deal with it and get him to perform.”
Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2016
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (53) Closed
May 09, 2016 07:15am
Attitude problem, every one thinks with him Pakistani team is nothing. Your country is full of talent,Groom new guys,it may take 5 years we will wait. No one is above the game. It is a team work.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 08:07am
I support Inzi decision taken on the ground of disciplinary action against Ahmed shahzad and Umer Akmal is 100% right. This is not jungle, 2nd thing about coach you well aware you and Raja selected Waqar which have no coaching experience and lost in 2011 w/c & 2015 and T20 w/c 2016 what is your take, now you have given opinion to PCB for Mickey Arthur, he is better Waqar but Arthur is right man for wrong place, our team member non-matric and english is problem for them to understand, local coach urdu speaking have opportunity to teach them properly.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 08:48am
I think Wasim and Raja were not qualified to select a coach, in the first place...and Wasim's point about the dropping of Ahmad and Akmal is pointless....he does not have any management acumen, I am afraid.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 09:19am
totally agreed with wasim, mohsin can only sit on TV and criticize others, he thinks he is everything, now, ahmed shahzad has been penalized earlier when he was not included in the team, so when he is already penalized for discipline, why now again? he is being punished twice for a single misconduct, now umer akmal, what he has done has nothing to do with the cricket, he didnt did anythng on the field, thats his private life, it is not important that a great batsman could become a coach or selector.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 10:57am
wasim bhai you are spot on
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 11:17am
Thanks God Mohsin khan is not appointed as a coach. It would be a disaster a man with ego and attitude.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 11:23am
Fully endorse view point of Mohsin Hasan Khan who needs to be praised.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 12:13pm
Totally agree with wasim Akram. Specially about Umar Akmal and Ahmad Shahzad selection.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 12:41pm
Wasim Akram himself once said that he would not stand outside PCB office and beg for a job and that if PCB needs him they should contact him. If he finds disrespectful for him, why it is disrespectful for others.
They were going after foreigners who had not applied for the job and when offers were made they declined then what was wrong in approaching Pakistani veterans and asking them about their interest.
Wasim and Ramiz do not appear to be clean and transparent here. well for that te whole of PCB is not transparent.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 12:47pm
Why Mr. Akram you did not apply?
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 12:52pm
Why doesnt he apply for coaching himself?
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 01:04pm
Good thing they didn't apply. How can you expect a coach with such ego to work closely with the players.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 01:17pm
So why didn't he apply himself? If he really wants to help
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 01:20pm
Their decision was correct. There are plenty of examples where very talented individuals have been dropped based on disciplinary issues.
Good decision by the selection panel.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 01:17pm
no coach can do a job unless passion from players is not seen. with the attitude of applicants for coach disunity is evident.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 01:35pm
There are contradictions in Wasim's point of view. On one hand he is criticizing ex player for his reluctance to follow prescribed procedure and on the other hand he is objecting to dropping players on disciplinary grounds.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 01:44pm
Were you qualified to be on the panel of selector for a Coach Mr. Wasim Akram?
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 01:51pm
Wasim is partly right. But, you cannot correct the perennially incorrigible!
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 01:58pm
I don't agree with Mr. Akram's logic/philosophy. Discipline and loyalty should not be
compromised.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:00pm
Wasnt Akram once accused of fixing ??
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:05pm
He was in selection committee. Please read the news item carefully.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:07pm
@sarmad Yes, you are right bro.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:07pm
@Adnan Khan because money comes from the neighbor country is greater than the domestic salary.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:20pm
@Adnan Khan He is mostly busy coaching IPL teams
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:20pm
@sarmad well noted
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:22pm
So who did actually apply for the role in the end?
If Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja were part of a panel set up to arrange a short-list, did they go out and gauge feelings/thoughts from Pakistani coaches (other than Aaqib and Mohsin)?
From what I can see, the PCB shortlisted candidates like Stuart Law, without Law even having asked to be considered in the first place.
No wonder that Stuart Law then turned the job down.
If the PCB is going to run the process of hiring a national coach in a dubious, questionable and untrustworthy manner, then surely one should not be too surprised at potential candidates being hesitant or reluctant to apply for the role.
More importantly, with Wasim's experience of coaching in the PSL and the IPL, why did he not put his own name forward for the role?
And his views on ill-disciplined cricketers do not help matters either.
What Pakistan cricket REALLY needs at present is players that are 100% motivated and disciplined.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:22pm
Why didn't he by himself blaming other ex-players?
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:23pm
Your era was different Wasim, at that time, may be you could get exception with your performance but now they perform 1 of 5 matches and show attitude; in addition, in your era competition was not so intense the way it is now. So discipline first and performance immediate after that.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:27pm
Move on Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shahzad, there are much better batsmen out there.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:31pm
Do Pakistan team really need Rs. 2 million coach ....I think NO
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 02:33pm
Here is a fact. Please accept it.
We don't have the capability to develop systems, but we can destroy any.
The sooner people accept it, they will be at peace.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 03:18pm
so Wasim arent you Ex player?
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 03:22pm
in fact, Wasim Akram does not deserve to again play this role to pick pakistan head coach. Last time he did this job twice first picking up Moin Khan and then Waqar Younus. Both have failed but this time he should have not been the part of this process. anyhow as both wasim and ramiz have cemented their places in world of cricket as commentators they can do what they can and they can say what they can, at least our pcb officials believe they both are big guns. best wishes for pakistan cricket
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 03:41pm
100% agree with Wasim, Mr. Mohsin Hasan khan always talks but when it came to deliver he chickened out. I personally feel Waqar Younus sincerely tried his best He atleast had the ourage to coach Pakistan team.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 03:58pm
Wasim how ell have you or Waqar been treated by the PCB? It seems the older players whom did not apply have more sense than you, they know they are always under the threat of the axe so why bother??
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 04:00pm
Pak cricket is at real danger of loosing its support from its own fans, we all know the team is talented, but when will they show us this talent consistently. Enough of he said this, he said that, get on with the job. The fundamentals of cricket have not changed, just strategy has. Learn it quick before I will add cricket to the list of sports we use to be good at, it already includes hockey and squash.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 04:06pm
Wasim Altamont's views are pragmatic to ensure short-term results but for the greater good of Pakistani cricket the message had to go out that be professional and expect professional treatment.
The whole personality cult should be shown the door. We in India too went with this crap but once Saurov, Sachin, Dravid era started it also brought discipline and hard work. Most surprising gains were in physical fitness, stamina.
Pakistan lacks discipline to hone their talent. Everyone who becomes a one match wonder acquires a swagger to his own detriment
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 04:17pm
In the current situation where we have serious scarcity of experienced players for international circuit we dropped shahzad and akmal top talented players rather to deal with them listen and fix their problems. Need to take the advise of legends (akram) who understand the game like v few who understand. Mohsin khan is also a good choice but he should follow the channel if he was interested rather to come through some other channel had shown his professional lacking.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 05:06pm
Here we go , supporters of Ahmed Shazam , umer Amal and shahid Afridi at their rescue "again".
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 05:08pm
@Sarwat Bukhari USA the players on disciplinary grounds must be punished,such players are like rotten eggs and they destroy the game.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 05:11pm
There is justification in Mohsin Khan's decission to stay away from the selection process for the position of head coach.
No senior player would ever agree to appear before a team of interviewers consisting
of junior players.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 05:24pm
Mohsin Khan's attitude is deploreable, one would expect better from him.
Mohsin did not want his application and interview to be conducted by his " juniors " ?
So Mohsin thinks he is " superior ", thus sends his application directly to Shahryar Khan.
Mohsin needs to learn to be more humble and congenial, with one and all.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 05:31pm
@LOUDSPEAKER ...........your comment is nonsensical.
You could have a mediocre senior player and a high performer mature player like Wasim Akram. Would you choose the mediocre player on the interview panel or a junior mature high performer like Wasim Akram ?
Seniority is NOT necessarily the best way to go, this system of thinking is only in Pakistan. This is a very old way of thinking.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 05:35pm
You cannot put a Ferrari engine with a rickshaw transmission. I hope you understand which is which.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 05:41pm
Wasim bhai is got this one very wrong. He is implying it is OK to not obey the rules because you will not be punished cause he is living proof. He then says“I think if a player has a problem it is the job of the team management and captain to deal with it and get him to perform.” Well, the team management has decided to leave them out. It is not all about performance. It is more about respecting the rules that has been laid out to all players and all should obey them. The old mentality is of the past and should lay there.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 05:52pm
@BayAdab Right
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 05:53pm
@LOUDSPEAKER and why should that be? Just because you are older you are better? It's a mindset that requires to be humble and respect all age group.
Recommend
0
May 09, 2016 06:42pm
Hes right...........
Recommend
0
May 10, 2016 02:42am
What about Wasim himself, isn't he a former player? is he getting special traetment from PCB? If he is so much concerned that a former player should be the Coach, he must and others in Pakistan MUST say it loud and clear and eventually apply himself for the position.
Recommend
0
May 10, 2016 09:09am
So now you know why the Akmal Brothers and Shezad are always there. Okay!
Recommend
0
May 10, 2016 08:05pm
Just one simple question for Wasim Akram. Will he appear for a coaching interview if the selection panel consist of his Juniors?
Why didn't he himself applied for the post of Coach. If he himself did not apply he doesn't have the right to blast anyone.
Recommend
0
May 10, 2016 10:57pm
It may be true that Ahmed Shahzad and Umer Akmal are difficult to handle. But I agree with Waseem Akram, in that Inzi and the PCB need to deal with difficulties posed by players and not sit on their high chairs and take actions which make it easy for themselves while the team and the country suffers.
Recommend
0
May 11, 2016 03:27pm
In simple all are there around PCB and its own management not for the love of cricket & Pakistan but for a bag full of $ . Let me make it clear whenever one applies for a job, it is addressed to the management (Chairman/GM) and not to the advisors. Selection of Mickey Arthur is good one but if he is allowed to do the job independently , which I doubt very much!
Recommend
0
