The fallout from Australia’s disastrous T20 World Cup defence has continued, with Simon O’Donnell foreseeing “trouble” on the horizon for Andrew McDonald’s side.
McDonald, the former Australian all-rounder, was promoted as national men’s head coach after Justin Langer resigned in the face of a player push in February. It came after months of tensions with players and management over Langer’s intense demeanour, which included crunch meetings ahead of their successful T20 World Cup where the former opener was backed to lead the team through until the end of the Ashes.
Australia’s 4-0 triumph, which saw fairytale stories including Pat Cummins’ extraordinary start as captain, Travis Head’s explosive return, Scott Boland’s selection and Usman Khawaja’s twin centuries amid another COVID-19 withdrawal, saw calls for Langer to be given a lengthy contract extension.
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Yet, in the face of a huge public push from former players, Cricket Australia offered Langer a short-term extension through until the end of the T20 World Cup.
The laughable extension saw Langer resign, leading Ricky Ponting to slam CA for their handling of the cricketing great and Mitchell Johnson calling Cummins “gutless”.
All the while McDonald, the likeable, easy-going former all-rounder who had quietly built an impressive CV of his own, was appointed coach and his refreshing laid back approach was backed in by the playing group.
While McDonald’s tenure in charge started in style, with a final session victory in the third Test against Pakistan that saw Australia claim a historic series win, they have struggled since.
A terrible second Test in Galle saw Australia leave Sri Lanka with a drawn series, before a patchy home white ball series against Zimbabwe and New Zealand a horror World Cup campaign.
The disappointing World Cup defence is the prelude to a marathon 18 months, which will see Australia tour India, an Ashes series in England and an ODI World Cup in India, before another home summer.
O’Donnell, who said Australia gave off the look of a side that had waved the white flag before their World Cup T20 defence and also raised eyebrows at the poor support of the national team, said the lack of respect shown to Langer had not been forgotten.
“The Langer thing is big in this,” O’Donnell said on SEN.
“People didn’t like how that happened, and Justin Langer was much loved as a player and went about his business, he was hard nosed, and that unceremonious dumping of the coach and the players’ activity behind the scenes in that, that has left a sour taste in a lot of peoples’ mouths.”
O’Donnell said Langer had driven standards and accountability and pointed to NRL coach Craig Bellamy as someone who was respected but was not a players’ coach.
“When the player opinion started coming in is when this got murky,” O’Donnell began on SEN Breakfast.
“Leadership can never be by negotiation, you can never be there because the players say they like you. You’re there because the performance has to be a certain level and there are certain standards you have to set to get there.
“Do you think Craig Bellamy is everyone’s best mate? What Craig Bellamy does is he explains to everyone what their role is… very simple mantra, very simple psyche.”
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While Langer’s final 12 months was riddled with leaks and unrest, which included an incident about sandwiches being taken on the field during a crunch session against India at The Gabba, the former was credited in changing the culture of the side and helping them to their best Ashes result in England in nearly two decades – a two-all drawn series that saw Tim Paine’s men retain the urn.
O’Donnell said the next 12 months would define whether the decision to move away from Langer was the right one.
“He got on fine with the players. He lasted a long time and he was very successful,” O’Donnell said.
“He couldn’t have been as successful as he was if they didn’t play for him, and they did.
“(The players) turned, and now we’ll find out whether the turn and the players’ decision to turn is going to be any good for Australian cricket.
“The next 12 months and massively important, not just for Andrew McDonald but for the players.”
While O’Donnell said he hoped McDonald succeeds, the former all-rounder said the crunch year ahead loomed as a “dangerous one” for McDonald and legacy of Cummins’ side.
“I’m a great believer that you can’t lead by negotiation. You cannot lead by saying I’ll do it this way as long as you guys are happy. Andrew McDonald must put his stamp on this and say, ‘this is me as a coach’,” O’Donnell said.
“He’s part player appointed, so how does he do it? How is he their mate and their boss as well? When you muddy that line, I only see trouble.
“I hope there’s not, because Andrew McDonald is a ripping bloke, he’s a very good coach, but I think the platform he’s been put in on is a really, really dangerous one.”
