(Reuters) – Justin Langer has criticised the politics at Cricket Australia (CA), four months after he resigned from his role as national team coach.
Langer led Australia to their first Twenty20 World Cup title last year before overseeing a 4-0 demolition of England in the Ashes but he was offered only a short-term extension this year.
Leading former Australia players, including Langer’s team mates Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, had expressed sadness at his treatment.
Langer said that after he quit he recalled a conversation with CA’s interim chairman Richard Freudenstein, who was not pleased with the media coverage favouring the former batsman.
“The first thing he said to me was ‘It must make you feel so good that all your mates are supporting you in the media,'” Langer said at a Chamber of Commerce event in Perth, as reported by Australian media.
“I said, ‘Yeah, it is, acting chairman. But with all due respect, those mates are also the all-time greats of Australian cricket. They are the fabric of Australian cricket, they are Australian cricket.
“So yeah, I’m glad my mates are looking after me. Imagine if you had have’.
“Ironically, the last six months of my coaching career were the most enjoyable period of 12 years of coaching. Not only did we win everything, but I had energy, I had focus and I was happy — besides the bullshit politics.”
CA was not immediately available for comment.
Langer’s resignation came a day after his England counterpart Chris Silverwood left his job and the Australian was linked with the vacant role which eventually went to New Zealander Brendon McCullum.
“I’ve never spoken to English cricket,” Langer said. “The thought of coaching England… mate!”
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
