The Moles debate
Given Andy Moles' resignation as New Zealand coach, Mark Richardson in the Herald on Sunday believes the team is not mature enough for a back-seat co-ordinator
If NZC wants to take the approach of selecting up-and-coming coaches then they must look very carefully or risk taking a punt.
Perhaps they would do better not to advertise the role but just target the ones they want - to avoid the scenario that may have occurred had they said no to Moles even though he was the final applicant in the race.
It is all very well being wise after the event but there was disquiet almost from the get-go. Why didn't they appoint an interim coach - John Wright was under their noses (on the appointments panel, no less) - and wait until they had a compelling candidate?
Instead, they took the path of least resistance, only to find a year into the journey they ran into a rather large obstacle in the form of an emboldened Daniel Vettori, as influential a figure in New Zealand cricket as any before him.
Moles supporters might have considered some non-committal NZC press releases over the past few days as a reason for hope, but such optimism was always misplaced. To publicly offer any comment apart from support during an employment process would be to effectively premeditate an outcome. That's why so many English football managers are sacked only days after being endorsed by their chairmen. It is the kiss of death.