'Players should be thankful for what they have'
A good samaritan passed on some advice to Bennett King as he was on his way to take on as the head coach of the West Indies: patience
Nagraj Gollapudi
19-Jan-2005
A good samaritan passed on some advice to Bennett King as he was on his way to take on as the head coach of the West Indies: patience. King has quickly understood the worth of that virtue. Below, he expands on his vision in this exclusive interview:
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The team, especially the youngsters, are really inspired by your rigorous work ethics. That should be a good start for you as the first foreign coach of the West Indies?
Yes it is. They are eager to learn and the young people see cricket as a career and are willing to put in the time to make it their career.
Yes it is. They are eager to learn and the young people see cricket as a career and are willing to put in the time to make it their career.
Was fitness an issue high on your agenda to be addressed?
If you're playing elite sport - international cricket - there's an expectation that people will do the physical work required. Coming into the side the level of physical fitness was average, and there is certainly room for improvement in terms of what's required for both forms of the game, one-day and Test cricket.
If you're playing elite sport - international cricket - there's an expectation that people will do the physical work required. Coming into the side the level of physical fitness was average, and there is certainly room for improvement in terms of what's required for both forms of the game, one-day and Test cricket.
West Indies have some young and developing talent. But in your short time with the team so far do you think they lack that desire to fulfil that talent?
At present I haven't seen a lack of desire, I've seen the opposite - a desire to improve. What the West Indies need is to create is an environment where players can improve and succeed, and I think the environment in the past hasn't necessarily been one to lend itself to that - and that's primarily regarding the lack of facilities and resources.
At present I haven't seen a lack of desire, I've seen the opposite - a desire to improve. What the West Indies need is to create is an environment where players can improve and succeed, and I think the environment in the past hasn't necessarily been one to lend itself to that - and that's primarily regarding the lack of facilities and resources.
In the first phase, recognising priorities in areas that we can work on and trying not to focus too much on priorities that we can't work on at the moment
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In the past you have talked about players being responsible off the field as well as on it. How have you made this clear to your team?
It's with some of the small things that we do. When we go to a cricket ground and we complete training we try to leave it how we found it, picking up our empty bottles and leaving the place tidy. That's one of the ways to start. In an international side there's a lot of things that are handed out to people, and we certainly want to encourage sponsors to continue their support, but we want players to be thankful and be appreciative of what they have. If we're bowling in nets, for example, and we ask a player to bowl, he needs to go to the bag and get the ball himself. If he leaves his jacket behind the nets he needs to go and retrieve it himself.
It's with some of the small things that we do. When we go to a cricket ground and we complete training we try to leave it how we found it, picking up our empty bottles and leaving the place tidy. That's one of the ways to start. In an international side there's a lot of things that are handed out to people, and we certainly want to encourage sponsors to continue their support, but we want players to be thankful and be appreciative of what they have. If we're bowling in nets, for example, and we ask a player to bowl, he needs to go to the bag and get the ball himself. If he leaves his jacket behind the nets he needs to go and retrieve it himself.
Technology is an area that can allied with preparation in the nets. But the Windies players are not really computer-buffs, are they? How do you plan to change that mindset?
It's not necessarily the computers that we want them to understand, it's the vision that is provided by the computers, that's linked to the statistics that we want them to understand. It's a resource that aids in the development of the cricketer - but watching a computer doesn't make you play a cover-drive, you still need to go out and do it, but it's still an important reservoir of information for us. It is useful to make comparisons for a batsman, for example, with when he played a good innings to when he is not playing so well, and show him the difference - and it's the same with the bowlers too.
It's not necessarily the computers that we want them to understand, it's the vision that is provided by the computers, that's linked to the statistics that we want them to understand. It's a resource that aids in the development of the cricketer - but watching a computer doesn't make you play a cover-drive, you still need to go out and do it, but it's still an important reservoir of information for us. It is useful to make comparisons for a batsman, for example, with when he played a good innings to when he is not playing so well, and show him the difference - and it's the same with the bowlers too.
The gradual presence of Sir Garfield Sobers should surely come in handy - what are the key areas that need to be addressed first?
He's been a breath of fresh air. His methods and his technical and tactical strategies are very similar to ours, and moving forward we've just got to make sure we get the information out of Sir Garry and pass it on to the players. He was a player who was ahead of his time, and in today's game he would probably still be ahead of his game and his time.
He's been a breath of fresh air. His methods and his technical and tactical strategies are very similar to ours, and moving forward we've just got to make sure we get the information out of Sir Garry and pass it on to the players. He was a player who was ahead of his time, and in today's game he would probably still be ahead of his game and his time.
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If we're looking to move forward, the facilities have to improve and things must be put in place for players to be able to improve technically, tactically and mentally
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Continuing on that path, personally, what are your priorities in the first phase of your programme?
The priorities are to understand the amount of work that needs to be done at international level in terms of prior to playing, preparation of tours and actually playing the game and the recovery methods that are used. That and in understanding some of my basic principles of training and playing. In the first phase, recognising priorities in areas that we can work on, and trying not to focus too much on priorities that we can't work on at the moment.
The priorities are to understand the amount of work that needs to be done at international level in terms of prior to playing, preparation of tours and actually playing the game and the recovery methods that are used. That and in understanding some of my basic principles of training and playing. In the first phase, recognising priorities in areas that we can work on, and trying not to focus too much on priorities that we can't work on at the moment.
Brian Lara is part of that plan, too. What's your view of him as a leader and what more (or less) can he do to carry his team forward?
Playing good cricket and being a peer within the side is obviously a huge advantage for us. What we've recognised with Brian is the amount of work he's willing to put in at 35 years of age which is really setting an example. His commitment as shown to us in making the West Indies being as competitive as can be is what's most evident to us.
Playing good cricket and being a peer within the side is obviously a huge advantage for us. What we've recognised with Brian is the amount of work he's willing to put in at 35 years of age which is really setting an example. His commitment as shown to us in making the West Indies being as competitive as can be is what's most evident to us.
There is a lack of infrastructure in the various countries of the West Indies. You have mentioned that you have expanded as a person in trying to understand the realities. How do you aim to move ahead in terms of up-to-date facilities for the players?
That's not really an issue for me because I don't have the money, but certainly it's going to be an issue for the territories and the West Indies Cricket Board. If we're looking to move forward, the facilities have to improve and things must be put in place for players to be able to improve technically, tactically and mentally.
That's not really an issue for me because I don't have the money, but certainly it's going to be an issue for the territories and the West Indies Cricket Board. If we're looking to move forward, the facilities have to improve and things must be put in place for players to be able to improve technically, tactically and mentally.
Finally how do you grapple with the differences in structure and applications between the Australian ones you were used to and those in the West Indies?
I tend to work within the boundaries that I'm given. I quickly recognised the physical difference in terms of resources and structures. You quickly come to terms with the things you can do and can't do. You focus on things you can do otherwise you will get frustrated. An Australian West Indian said to me before I went to the West Indies that "There are three things you'll need in West Indies: patience, patience and patience."
I tend to work within the boundaries that I'm given. I quickly recognised the physical difference in terms of resources and structures. You quickly come to terms with the things you can do and can't do. You focus on things you can do otherwise you will get frustrated. An Australian West Indian said to me before I went to the West Indies that "There are three things you'll need in West Indies: patience, patience and patience."