Omar Khan knocks Red Force management

Former West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago cricket manager Omar Khan is questioning the management style of the TT Red Force team, as the local team is now last in the Digicel Regional Four-Day tournament standings.

The Red Force are last in the six-team standings with one round remaining in the 2017/2018 regional standings. The TT Red Force have played nine matches this season - winning two, losing four and drawing three matches.

The Red Force have been in a poor run of form of late, losing their last three matches, which included two matches in Trinidad. Khan, who was the TT manager the last time TT won the Regional Four-Day tournament in 2006, is disappointed by the performances of the Red Force team this season.

“From my point of view, as a former manager of the Trinidad and Tobago cricket team and one of the more successful managers, it is very sad, it is very hurtful. It is very disheartening to me to see our national team, that is representing the country, cannot seem to understand that it takes a lot more hard work, dedication and commitment and more importantly mental strength to be able to play the kind of cricket that we need to see our young cricketers play.” The Red Force are fielding a young team especially in the batting department, but the youngsters have not been consistent.

Khan said communication is key in having a successful team, and the players need to be reminded by the management team of how big their role is as national cricketers.

“The team is not being properly managed and coached. In these times with these youngsters, you need to keep communicating in a particular way so they have an appreciation of what is required to represent their country and what is required to play the type of cricket that will bring the desired results,” Khan said.

Kelvin Williams is the coach of the Red Force, while Roland Sampath is the manager. Khan said management needs to have an understanding of all the players to bring out their best. “It is all about communication, and you having an understanding of the player and the player also having an understanding of you. It is a professional set up, so we need to establish that coming into a professional set up you have to develop some professional qualities in yourself as a player and that is what is lacking right now in our team.”

Khan, who is also the manager of the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League, said the development programmes in TT need to be held more regularly.

“I think the development programmes are not consistently well organised in terms of having that structured programme that will help the long term development of our cricketers. It is just short term and one off programmes that is not helping our cricket. I know there are questions about finances, but there are other ways and means of doing things.”