Ex-rugby player named Cricket Australia GM

Saturday, 15 October 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cricket Australia’s boss has turned his attention to finding a chief selector and head coach following the decision to hand a former Wallaby the task of managing team performance.

Pat Howard, who played 20 Tests for the Wallabies in the 1990s, was unveiled on Thursday as CA’s new general manager team performance.

The Australian team head coach, captain, chairman of selectors, team manager and centre of excellence manager will report to Howard, who will be based at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.

Howard, 37, is due to start with CA in mid-November and hopes to visit the Australian team during their current tour of South Africa.

CA chief executive James Sutherland said the creation of the new role, to focus solely on team performance, was one of the key recommendations of the Argus review adopted by CA’s board in August.

Despite having no background in Australian cricket, Howard will play a key role in the appointment of a new head coach.

Sutherland said CA was more advanced in the appointment of the national selector role, which has already been advertised, than the search for a head coach.

“We’re very aware that the summer is approaching and we want to have someone on board as quickly as possible,” Sutherland said.

“We have a clear focus right now on appointing a new head coach ... and a selection panel with a full-time national selector and supporting selectors with that.

“We will very quickly work into the pointy end of that process.”

Howard said Test skipper Michael Clarke would have input into the selection of the new head coach to replace Tim Nielsen.

“He (the coach) has got to be complementary and work with the captain. You can’t have antagonism working from day one, that’s never going to work,” Howard said.

Howard was a title-winning coach of English rugby team Leicester and served as Australian Rugby Union’s high-performance manager.

“I have a great interest in cricket. I love the game,” he said.

“I’ve lived in England. I actually got to field as 12th man for Leicestershire in county cricket.

“I do have a high-performance background and hopefully that will be complementary to the coaches, selectors, the captain, to be able to support them and get them where the Argus review is giving us a very clear mandate.”

Howard said he wouldn’t rule out CA appointing a foreign-born national coach, having been involved in the decision to get Kiwi Robbie Deans to coach the current Wallabies rugby team.

“I don’t have any baggage. I come with a fresh slate,” he said.

“I don’t have any preconceived ideas.

“I’ve got to get my head around the culture of cricket and the personalities involved.

“Regardless of what your title is, you’ve got to earn respect and that takes time.

“The Argus review is a really great watershed moment and I think it presents an opportunity.

“Am I nervous? Yes. It’s going to be tough.”

Sutherland said Howard would bring a new dimension to aspects of the game that are perhaps a bit traditional and hard to change.