Friday, 23 March 2007
Pybus fears Pakistan backlash
By Simon Austin
People must be very careful about stone throwing at Pakistani cricket
People should not 'throw stones' at Pakistani cricket following Bob Woolmer's murder, says their former coach Richard Pybus.
Pybus, who was in charge from 1999 to 2001 and again in 2003, told BBC Sport: "People must be very sensitive about this not becoming anti-Pakistani.
"That's way too soft a target and I don't think Bob would have wanted that.
"It must not become an issue about Pakistan people or cricket. There are fabulous people involved out there."
The 42-year-old, who takes over as Middlesex coach this summer, added: "People must be very careful about this becoming a stone-throwing exercise at Pakistani cricket.
"I learnt a tremendous amount about the game and Pakistani culture during my time in charge. I gained a great deal from it."
PAPERS ON PAKISTAN
It is a tragedy, but one you could not see befalling any other team but Pakistan.
Derek Pringle (Daily Telegraph)
The challenge of Pakistan cricket is one facing no other nation
Mike Selvey (The Guardian)
Whatever the rumours, conspiracy theories or sheer lies...Woolmer would almost certainly still be alive if he had not taken on the job of Pakistan coach
John Etheridge (The Sun)
Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room on Sunday following Pakistan's shock World Cup defeat by Ireland.
Jamaican police subsequently revealed that the 58-year-old had been murdered and rumour has been rife that his death could be linked to match-fixing.
Pybus, the first foreign coach of Pakistan, says he saw no evidence of fixing during his time in charge.
"I wasn't privy to anything with regards to sides underperforming or guys being influenced.
"I would hate to think it happened while I was coach. If it had been, I'm sure I would have known about it because the manager would have brought it to my attention.
"But on the other hand I would be naive to presume that world cricket was completely squeaky clean," he said.
Pybus believes the job of Pakistan coach is arguably more demanding than any other role in the game.
"There are a lot of challenges, with logistics, administration and things outside the sport," he said.
"There's a tremendous capacity to sabotage goals from within the team. It makes it difficult to do consistent planning. As a coach you want to be strategising, not dealing with outside matters. It's an incredibly volatile environment."
But he added: "It can be a very rewarding job. There are some fabulous cricketers and administrators in Pakistan."
Pybus says he believes Woolmer and captain Inzamam-ul-Haq presided over the most successful period in the history of Pakistan cricket.
They reached third in both the one-day and Test rankings and achieved rare stability.
But he says "things went a bit pear shaped with the saga at the Oval", when the players refused to go back onto the pitch during a Test against England last year after being accused of ball tampering by umpire Daryl Hair.
Pakistan players Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif then tested positive for steroids at the end of last year.
"There is a cumulative build up of stress on a coach of Pakistan and I can imagine it was the same for Bob, particularly after the Oval," Pybus said. "But I'm sure the level of success he had would have been reward for that, tempered by a poor performance at this World Cup."
Pybus also paid tribute to Woolmer for helping him early on in his coaching career.
Bob saw a young coach coming through and kept an eye out for me
Richard Pybus
When Pybus was starting out as a coach in the late 1990s, Woolmer was in charge of South Africa.
"He looked out for me and was very kind," Pybus said. "He saw a young coach coming through and kept an eye out for me.
"I am incredibly grateful to him. When I didn't have a coaching post, he tried to set something up for me and then invited me to do some coaching with the national team to keep me occupied.
"It was real kindness. I was a student observing an elite coach. As far as international coaches are concerned, he was right up there.
"He was always up to speed with developments in other sports and other walks of life.
"He was also a fine man-manager - he couldn't have had the level of success he did without being one.
"Cricket has lost a great coach and a great man."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/6485549.stm
