Holding warns CWI against rash changes

FORMER West Indies pacer, Michael Holding, has warned that changing out the coach won’t guarantee the results the team wants for the upcoming ICC World Cup in May. Rumours have suggested Cricket West Indies (CWI), on the heels of Ricky Skerritt replacing Dave Cameron as president, will be ringing in the changes, with current head coach Richard Pybus targeted for the axe. However, the pace legend made it clear West Indies’ problems are deep-rooted and go way beyond a board changeout or a coaching swap.

“We need to analyse things before we have a knee-jerk reaction and change things. The president and vice-president (Dr Kishore Shallow) need to sit down with everybody at various times. You need to sit down with the players and ask ‘what do you think?’ Have a frank discussion with them and if they are happy to continue with the way things are because they are the ones who will be affected,” he said to the i95.5 radio station.

“Do we just only want to win the World Cup? We need to think about the future of West Indies cricket. The World Cup is in a couple months time, (but) what happens after? You can make quick-fixes but you’ve got to think long term as well,” he elaborated on potential short-sighted decisions.

Holding also questioned the commitment of the current crop of regional players, indicating some are just playing to maintain the board’s Professional Cricket League contracts instead of going the extra mile. “There’s nothing intrsincially wrong with paying cricketers at the domestic level, but paying a cricketer does not make him a better cricketer. You have got to go below that level to make sure when he gets to that first-class level, he’s better than what we’re producing now. That is what has been happening in the last years of West Indies cricket,” Holding added.

He urged CWI to work with players so they become more motivated and also, for youth tournaments to involve senior cricketers, past legends, as well as educational seminars to inculcate key doctrines into young players as they mature into first-class cricketers. He revealed he has no problem with foreign personnel working in the region for these reasons, including coaches, but it must be worthwhile and the Caribbean must learn from their expertise, as opposed to ending up in conflict. Holding did admit, though, he was optimistic with Skerritt’s slate, although he refused to endorse them pre-elections as he wanted nothing to do with West Indies cricket and what he saw as a destabilised structure.

On Skerritt’s appointment, he continued, “This is not a turn the corner situation either. A lot of things need to be done. There must be restructuring.” The Jamaican indicated expenses must be trimmed, the past flaws of old regimes must be exposed and the media must also watchdog CWI instead of being intimidated. While Holding maintained he didn’t want to be part of the toxic atmosphere with CWI on an official basis, he did end by saying he’s always available for consultation (despite claims of being blacklisted under Cameron’s regime), especially for players who need advice.