Becca Says 'No' to Foreign W.I Coach

Veteran cricket writer Tony Becca opposes any suggestions of replacing present West Indies coach Roger Harper with a foreigner.

"There are West Indians who can do the job, who can do it well, and who should be the ones to lead the revival of West Indies cricket," Becca wrote in a column for the Jamaica Gleaner. "It would be an embarrassment to the West Indian people if after playing Test cricket for 74 years, if after being the best for a long, long time, if after producing so many of the world's great players, there is not one good enough or fit enough to coach the team," Becca argued.

The Jamaican journalist believes Harper will not be reconsidered for the job after his three year contract expires in March next year. "The consensus is that Harper has not done a good job, the odds are against the West Indies Board retaining his services. Unless he is lucky, there will be a new coach."

"There are a growing number of people, including Board members, who believe that the time has come for a foreign coach," he noted, but urged that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) stick with a local coach and give whoever is selected its full backing.

"Before bringing in foreigners to coach West Indians how to play cricket therefore, the Board members should look at some of the reasons why West Indian coaches have failed," Becca warned.

He wrote that there are two reasons for the failure of regional coaches. One being, "West Indians do not respect their own regardless of their prowess as players and their skills as a coach."

"Instead of going for a foreign coach, the Board and its members should support West Indian coaches so that they can do a good job." he added.

He blasted the WICB for its handling of the Rohan Kanhai case. "Kanhai, a great player and as good a coach as any and better than most, was removed, not because of any inability to coach but because of pressure from certain players because he was considered too tough."

"What happened to Rohan Kanhai, the Board and its members have contributed to it."

Becca is of the view that a foreign coach will curtail the natural play of West Indies players. "West Indies cricket, once the best in the world, should always be played the West Indies way, and .... a foreign coach is hardly likely to coach West Indians how to play the West Indies way."

The WICB has started advertising for applications for the positions of senior team coach and manager as both Harper's and the present manager Ricky Skerritt's contracts come to an end early next year. It is widely expected that both will be replaced.