Whatmore wants freedom, PCB in a fix

The Pakistan Cricket Board is in no hurry to take the decision of appointing the new coach of the Pakistan team and it would take about another month before a coach is appointed, it was learnt on Tuesday. Australia’s Dav Whatmore is the front-runner for the job and has shown keenness on becoming the head coach of the Pakistan but reports attributing from different quarters say that the PCB is in no mood of taking the decision in haste.
“Nothing is final as yet I have had healthy discussions with the PCB about the coaching assignment. But I think any final decision will come after a month,” Whatmore said before leaving for Australia. In a statement, the PCB insisted that no contract had been signed with Whatmore.
“The Board Chairman, Chief Operating Officer and the head of the Board’s coaches committee all held detailed discussions with Whatmore about the terms and conditions of his contract which is yet to be signed by him,” reports said.
A board official said the board had also decided to rethink its plans to appoint a foreign coach after hearing the viewpoint of Whatmore and how he intended to run Pakistan cricket team affairs.
“There is also the issue of some clear demands put forward by Whatmore to the PCB during his meetings with them,” he said.
Whatmore himself sounded excited about any coaching assignment with Pakistan pointing out to the abundant talent in the country’s cricket ranks.
“It would be a challenge coaching the Pakistan team because they have great ability and talent and are capable of being the number one team in the world,” Whatmore said.
The former Australian batsman has also coached the Sri Lankan and Bangladesh teams in the past.
Interestingly, while the PCB has claimed that Whatmore is not the only candidate for the coaching position, no other names have come to the fore as yet.
Whatmore had also applied for the Pakistan coaching position in 2007 but couldn’t get the job as the Board preferred to hire another Australian, Geoff Lawson.
“For one he is asking for a big pay package, he wants his own support team and absolute authority in many areas concerning the team and selection,” one source added.
“They also have to look at fears about his temperament and short temper,” he said.
Interestingly Whatmore was not very pleased with the Pakistan media and arrangements made by the Board on Monday when he went to the Gaddafi stadium to meet with Chairman, Zaka Ashraf.
“There was a lot of media around when Whatmore was being taken to the Chairman’s office and a lot of pushing and shoving by the cameramen which didn’t go down well with Whatmore at all,” the source confirmed.