By Neto Baptiste
Legendary former West Indies fast bowler, Sir Andy Roberts, believes Cricket West Indies (CWI) erred when they rehired former player Phil Simmons as coach of the senior men’s team on a four-year contract.
Simmons was re-hired in 2019 after his previous tenure was brought to an end when he was sacked in 2016 due to “differences in culture and strategic approach.”
Sir Andy, who was speaking on the Good Morning Jojo Sports Show at the time, said that apart from winning the T20 World Cup in 2016, Simmons has not lived up to the billing as a coach.
“We went back to Phil Simmons on what basis? What was his accomplishment? Yes, in 2016 they won the T20 World Cup and he was fired shortly after that. Wwhether justifiable or not, I don’t know, but apart from the World Cup we didn’t dominate cricket. We weren’t heading back up the ladder, we were still going down the ladder all the time when he was fired.
“We picked him up [after Ricky Skerritt took office] and give him a four-year contract instead of giving him a two-year contract and depending on his production then you could extend it. He surrounds himself with people whom, from all we can see, do not really bring a difference to the team,” he said.
The Antiguan was however quick to point out that coaching is not the only issue plaguing West Indies cricket.
“This is not just a coaching, management, fitness or whatever, it is a much bigger problem we are having because don’t tell me that the rest of the world is improving and West Indies is not improving; it’s a much bigger problem that encompasses everything and everybody. If the board is allowing what is going on to continue, then they are at fault,” Sir Andy said.
The former fast bowlerwho claimed 202 wickets in 47 Tests and another 87 in 56 ODI matches, warned also that players must invest in themselves as professionals and do the things necessary for them to improve.
“I am not hearing them on this personal development path that I have been saying for the longest while, and if you don’t try to develop yourself, then you are not going to reach anywhere. If you don’t take the responsibility for your moving forward you are not going to reach anywhere, I haven’t seen any changes in our approach at all to the game,” he said.
West Indies were recently beaten in both their ODI and T20 series against Indies. The first match in their T20 series against New Zealand will be held in Kingston, Jamaica on August 10.