E Swanton: Learning To Manage A Difficult Relationship (5 Mar 1996)

Personally Speaking: Learning to manage a difficult relationship

BY E. W. SWANTON

`FRANK used to come to my room after play," said Gerry Gomez as we lunched beside the blue Caribbean waters, "and we would talk over the happenings of the day and any plans that needed discussion for the morrow. At the ground he just knew I would be there if he wanted me."

Ironical as the memory is in the light of current troubles, the tour of Frank Worrell`s West Indies team to Australia in 1960/61 was a triumph for cricket. It culminated in a ticker-tape farewell as half a million people lined the streets of Melbourne for their journey in open cars to the airport.

Frank and Richie Benaud had fought a fascinating series with chivalry and mutual respect. Frank was the acclaimed hero, centre- stage. Manager Gomez, a senior figure of almost comparable playing stature, was his quiet accomplice.

While Sir Frank died tragically aged 42, Gerry, who came first to England as a 19-year-old in 1939, has served West Indies cricket ever since and at 76 is presiding over the centenary celebrations of the famous Queen`s Park CC, Trinidad.

The more percipient of my readers may have concluded from this preamble that we were discussing what nowadays is an everrecurring topic, the relationship between players and management.

The events of this winter have indeed made it a burning issue so far as English cricket is concerned, though the participation of Michael Atherton`s team as they prepare for the quarter-finals of the World Cup surely prohibits open discussion at the spring meeting of the Test and County Cricket Board today. Let all concerned concentrate on the job in hand pending a prompt and thorough post-mortem.

A side should set out to try to win

Meanwhile, on the playing front, the Board can accept or reject the proposal to award championship points for a drawn match. A side should set out to try to win, and if and when this proves beyond them they must bend all their efforts to prevent their opponents doing so. There is often much honour in a draw, and I much hope this utterly logical reform is accepted. There is the added virtue that it would encourage the more attacking forms of bowling, which is to say speed and spin, with an emphasis on the wrist.

A move in this direction would complement the already agreed extension of financial reward from five counties to nine, and so help to sharpen the competitive spirit in championship matches towards the end of the summer.

Back however to the intriguing subject of the respective responsibilities and the most effective liaison as between players on the one hand and managers and coaches on the other.

Some of the wisest words came not unexpectedly a few weeks ago in The Sunday Telegraph, from that highly respected former county and England captain, Tony Lewis. He said, in brief, that teams must be run by captains, and he blamed cricket authorities at county as well as international level for promoting the idea that a famous old figure "by some magical process" of management could transfer his qualities to the men on the field.

Ray Illingworth, the England captain, would certainly not have put up with the dominating presence of Ray Illingworth, the latterday manager. "No match was ever won from the pavilion balcony."

Likewise, the surrounding of the player by coaches, along with talk of psychiatric help, tends to remove from him the full weight of personal responsibility.

Old cricketers among the thousands of England supporters present in the later stages of the South African tour were greatly disappointed not only in technical comparisons between the teams but by the difference in attitudes.

As the captain`s right-hand man, the successful manager needs to combine friendliness towards the players with a firm disciplinary touch when required

"Graceless" summed up the verdict of more than one of those who flew out hoping for better things. There was, they said, no sense of enjoyment. A good showing in the World Cup finals would, of course, redeem much. Let us hope for it, and also that, whatever the outcome, England accept it in a sporting spirit and without demeaning excuses.

On the subject of the relationship between captain and manager, those of us who have been privileged to accompany many touring teams have seen partnerships ranging from the ideal to the abysmal.

In the first place managers need to be chosen with the character and qualities of captains closely in mind. I remember first making this point to the then treasurer of MCC, unfortunately without success, prior to the tour of Australia by Walter Hammond`s team in 1946. MCC were responsible for other unsatisfactory managerial appointments in following years interspersed with some which saw morale high and the team performing to their capacity.

As the captain`s right-hand man, the successful manager needs to combine friendliness towards the players with a firm disciplinary touch when required.

Most importantly, he must establish trust and satisfactory working arrangements with the press, in addition, of course, to sustaining cordial relationships in the country visited. All in all, cricket management is a taxing, testing exercise.

Before MCC handed over responsibility for touring sides to the emergent TCCB the Kentish partnership of two old friends, Colin Cowdrey and Leslie Ames, contrived a happy and successful tour of the West Indies.

A more surprising but also satisfactory partnership in Australia was that between Ted Dexter as captain and the Duke of Norfolk as manager, assisted by Alec Bedser.

Alec brought the old-fashioned virtues to bear on a variety of assignments, both selectorial and managerial, over a record span.

Ken Barrington`s sudden death in mid-tour in 1981 left a deep, deep hole in this department. Doug Insole and Donald Carr were other old players during my time comfortable in the role of manager. Maybe those were easier days, but the job description remains the same.

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)