"Everyone Was Being Nice To My Face" - Former Coach Justin Langer Takes A Dig At Cowards In Australia Team After Coaching Stint
Updated - 23 Nov 2022, 11:36 AM
Former Australia coach Justin Langer slammed unnamed ‘cowards’ in the team who complained about his coaching style in the media. The veteran took over as head coach after Darren Lehmann stepped down following the Sandpapergate scandal in South Africa four-and-a-half years ago.
Despite winning the World Cup and the Ashes as part of a triumphant summer, the Western Australian great was only offered a six-month contract extension. The former test opener said that he felt cheated when Cricket Australia refused to give him a long-term contract extension. The 52-year-old resigned in February after failing to secure the public support of key players and acrimonious contract talks with Cricket Australia.
Change That Word To Coward – Justin Langer
Langer stated on the Back Chat podcast that he “hated” it when team members went behind his back and complained about his intense coaching techniques.
“Everyone was being nice to my face, but I was reading about this stuff and half of it, I swear to God and on my kids’ lives, I could not believe that is what was making the papers. A lot of journalists use the word ‘source’. I would say, change that word to ‘coward’,” Langer was quoted as saying to News Corp media.
“Because what do you mean ‘a source says’? They’ve either got an axe to grind with someone and they won’t come and say it to your face, or they’re just leaking stuff for their own agenda. I hate that,” he stated.
Langer enjoyed coaching the national team. He stated, “We won the T20 World Cup, we won the Ashes. We were number one in the world. I’ve never enjoyed coaching more and I’ve still got sacked. That’s the hardest thing.”
Langer helped the Aussies to a 4-0 series win in the previous Ashes series at home. Australia also won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 in Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during his tenure.
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