'No foreign coach for Pakistan' - Dr Nasim Ashraf [Press Conf]

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/pak...ory/288141.html

No decision yet on captain and vice-captain

No foreign coach for Pakistan - Ashraf


Cricinfo staff

March 31, 2007

The next Pakistan coach will be a Pakistani, and the decision is not going to be taken in the near future, Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said today. He also said there would be no immediate decision on a new captain or vice-captain but the one decision taken by the PCB has been to suspend the central contracts of all players in the Pakistan team.

Major decisions are not going to be rushed through, Ashraf said, pointing out that Pakistan's next international assignment is around six months away.

Ashraf, speaking after a press conference in Lahore by Inzamam-ul Haq, who'd stepped down from the captaincy the day after the team's exit from the World Cup, also said a new management team has been appointed and some positions revamped.

Other decisions taken include hiring a fielding coach from the USA and setting up a three-man review committee to examine Pakistan's performance in the World Cup.

Earlier, an emotional Inzamam said he took full responsibility for Pakistan's World Cup debacle but hit out at the media for suggesting that match-fixing had anything to do with it and for not supporting the team during that period.

Asked specifically about Sarfaraz Nawaz's comment that match-fixing was the reason for Woolmer's murder, Inzamam said, "Nobody takes Sarfaraz Nawaz seriously, I have been hearing the same things from him, since I was born."

"For the last three-four years, there was no match-fixing thing in the team. Suddenly it has come up from nowhere," he said.

He also criticized the lack of support for the team in the media. "Nobody in the media supported the team. Our whole media was writing against the team. They were only into tarnishing the image of the team. If our team lost two matches, does that mean that we are no more Pakistanis," Inzamam said. "It was the time when the team needed the support of the media, but tell me was there anybody who stood by the team. It is common in Pakistan to attack the team," he said.

Inzamam also criticized the tendency to blame him for whatever happened with the team. "I take complete responsibility of the loss. But the feedback that I am getting is that I am being blamed for everything in Pakistan cricket. Even if a peon is changed in Pakistan Cricket Board, everybody starts saying that it is Inzamam's hand," he said.

"Everybody is disappointed. We could have played better but does it mean that Pakistan cricket is finished. There are so many good young players who will perform for the team in future," he said. "I have played for 16 year and given everything to the country. My family has been going through a bad phase. The media should support the team more when the team goes through such a bad phase," Inzamam said.

© Cricinfo

Who else would want it?!!!

At the moment, until Bobs murder mystery is solved, would be prudent not to talk of foriegn coaches.

If pakistan next assignement is six months away then the PCB should take its time getting right people in place.

what a poor statement to make. The best candiate should get the job. At the moment there is no one in pakistan that would fit the bill. A Javeds name has been mentioned but will he be able to control and gain the respect of the likes of afridis and your razzaqs?

I still think it is insensitive to even discuss Bob's replacement. He still hasn't been buried.

As far as next captain is concerned, we have almost six months to decide, and as Bob highlighted before his demise, Pakistan have been operating on a age-based hierachy for too long. We need to adopt a meritocracy and this time may allow us to choose a captain carefully.

If we want Pakistan to be run professionally, then we should conduct interviews and scenario-based tests with all of the potential candidates. We should then ask each candidate what are their aims and objectives to determine who even has a vision for the team.

I acknowledge these tests cannot replace a tense match scenario, but that is where we can draw on previous experience of the candidate's ability to handle pressure. In fact, this can be a good opportunity to ask candidates why they reacted in a particular manner during a match situation. At the end of the day, a good leader is one who acknowledges and learns from previous experience and shortcomings.

So, for example, we can ask Younis Khan what he thought about his showing at the ICC Champions Trophy. If he starts blaming his senior players for their lack of support, then we should just ask him to close the door and switch off the lights as he's leaving the buidling. Those kind of excuses show a lack of leadership. We should be expecting our captain to have the ability to appraise his own performance, as well as those of his fellow players.

We should get the constitution in order before making any decisions.

Razzaq, afridi etc.. have to bigger egos to really give to many people respect. Sadly these are the type of players who look after their own intrests 1st before the teams!

No matter what all the good intentions the PCB has, nothing will change with the Pakistan cricket setup.

You will continue to have:

1) players revolt against captain
2) groups in the team
3) typical Pakistan performances
4) strange selections from the selestion committee
5) all the rest of the rubbish that has been happening since Imran Khan left

As supporters, unfortunately, we have to get used to this.

What a senseless statement, the best man for the position should get the job. This statement from Ashraf can be translated to mean ' this time we're going to get someone we can control, who will do what we want and not what he believes is best for Pakistan cricket'

Also in the news conference he promised us a grand total of two scouts. yes that's right he will hire two scouts for the whole of Pakistan!

Bravo!!

We don't even need to think about this yet.

"Nobody takes Sarfaraz Nawaz seriously, I have been hearing the same things from him, since I was born." - Inzi

That should be out of the question. It does not matter who you are if you are Afridi or Yousaf, if you cannot get get on board with the coach then get off the team. Its his team and his head is on the line if he does not perform. Therefore if you disrupt team chemistry, you should not be in the team regardless of your stature. No one player is bigger than the team.

I think for once Ashraf has done the right thing except the foreign coach part. He should have just said "best man for the job." However we are finally seeing some structure in Pakistna cricket. No one can take their place forgranted. A constiution is getting approved and finally those dumb contracts are gone. All he needs to do now is establish full-time selectors and Ashraf very well could go from villian to hero.

i have a question. Has the idiot Salim altaf also resigned?

A local (Lahore) Urdu newspaper is reporting that;

1) Saleem Altaf will be replaced by Zakir Khan.
2) Mydassar has refused to be batting coach.
3) Aaqib JAvid will be the next coach.
4) Younis for Test and Afridi for ODI captain (rumor)!

lots of speculations here. but has altaf resigned or is he still in the PCB. i know u said that he wil be replaced, but is he still working?

YES they need to improve hopefully they will get an good coach - "Other decisions taken include hiring a fielding coach from the USA"

I watched that press conference, and DNA said that NO DECISION WAS TAKEN REGARDING COACH, however he stated that the feedback that he has got, suggests that THEY MIGHT NOT BE GOING FOR A FOREIGN COACH. . Nothing's concrete though, and DNA statement was in RESPONSE TO A QUESTION, so the criticism is pretty unfair.

I see three positives out of it: 1) No foreign coach, 2) No rush in deciding captain rather behind the doors sorting things out before announcing a captain and VC. 3) Performance based contracts rather than central contract (central is good for professional players but for mentality of Pakistani players performance based contracts will be a good option which will allow more accountability).

Some more negatives:
1. Keeping Salim Altaf at the helm again.
2. Bringing in Ejaz, who I am not sure if fully clear of match fixing since he is Salim Malik brother in law (both married to two sisters).
3. Hiring of a baseball coach is good, but lets hope he is not a personal friend from USA (home and permanent residence of Ashraf).
4. Most probably he will keep his palatoon of friends in Press reporter, interpreter and who knows he may replace some Bob woolmer Aide with his own.

What you guys think?

yeah Hellopak, what the hell is ijaz ahmed doing here, one of the most dishonest players to play for pak. and altaf is still there too. when will we learn

Good points:

1.Ashraf also had some things to say on the players themselves. No player, matter how big he is, should take his place in the Pakistan team for granted, he said. He also said he believed that Pakistan's cricketers lacked in mental toughness. "We need to work upon this aspect as this is the most important area through which most of the top teams win matches."

2. Some decisions announced today related directly to cricket. One has already been executed: The PCB has suspended central contracts of members of the Pakistan team, Ashraf said. "All players contracts stand suspended. We are going to introduce performance-base contracts very soon."

3.The PCB has been without a constitution for some time now and Ashraf said the document was currently being vetted by the Attorney General and would be put in place at the earliest possible opportunity.

Ashraf has had a rough start in his tenure ... however i do think he is good intentioned and intelligent ... in time he might turn this team around.

What he said to the players and performace based contracts is probaly what is needed to make sure team stays united and plays for pakistan rather than themselves, he had a rough start, but he can make sweeping changes and make up for that, i hope so inshAllah, good start from here though.

Contracts based on performance.... Well, I guess that the end of flat pitch bullies. Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Imran Farhat...you are the weakest link, Good Bye.

The damned constitution, even a nation's constitution does not take this much time.

I think it is some 1 called Ijaz Butt not Ijaz Ahmad

Whats wrong with saying no foreign coach , the results are there to see for all.
Physical fitness No improvement infact more injuries
doping yes
Being the first to drop out of the world cup
No improvement in fielding
No opening bowlers
No fast bowlers

We had the best coach in the world, if you experiment and it does not work try some thing new

i would like to see the video... thas hilarious

No it was very clearly stated that Ejaz Ahmad, Salim Altaf and Saludin Ahmad on cricinfo but now they changed it to Ejaz Butt. Which is a good news. Thanks for pointing.

They could give the constitution contract to US ex ruler for Iraq Mr. Bremmer, and am sure he could produce one in a month.

As far as Baseball coach is concern, I will say beside hiring a US coach, Pakistan must make sure that every player participate in every single excercise designed by the coach. Unfortunately, some players like Inzi, Akhtar would miss the training sessions or sit outside and watch and act like coach. PCB should make sure all the players along with the backup players, like a pool of 40-50 players (Pak senior, Pak A, Pak under 19) all should participate in those training sessions and additionally they should make a Pakistani as assistant coach to USA baseball coach, and hire that assistant coach on permanent basis so that he could carrying on such training after the expiration of US baseball coach contract.

I know in 80s, Pakistan hockey team was trained by a physical instructor from pakistan airforce and they were doing extremely well. I am talking of hockey team composed of Shahid Ali Khan, Moeen Akhtar (goalkeepers), Manzoor senoir and ... (full backs), Akhtar Rasool, halfback, and Hassan Sardar, Sami ullah (flying horse), Manzoor junoir, Kaleem Ullah, Hanif Khan as forward. So Pakistan could use services of a trainer from Pak Airforce, or Pak Army, all they need to bring players fittness level to high standard. To me there is no big chance of any improvement by hiring a baseball coach, rather it will be better to use an instructor from army or airforce.

Those who lives in US would know how much it cost to hire a baseball, basketball or football coach. This is just plain waste of money, or he may bring someone who is coaching a local team in a town where Nasim Ashraf family used to live.

I could give you example some coaches of Universities team in US who are making more than 5-10 millions a year e.g. University of Michigan,. Univ of Illinois, Univ. of Wisconsin, etc