West Indies could be looking for a new head coach after it emerged that Ottis Gibson could be in contention for the role of director of cricket at Warwickshire.
Gibson, who led West Indies to the World Twenty20 in October, is understood to have tired of the politics inherent in Caribbean cricket and is one of more than 100 in contention to succeed Ashley Giles at Edgbaston. Giles left Warwickshire after leading the club to the county championship title in 2012 to take up the role of coach of England’s limited-overs teams.
While Gibson has previously intimated his desire to remain with the West Indies team, he is out of contract with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) later this year and, after the CEO Ernest Hilaire quit in September and with the president Julian Hunte due to depart in March, he may feel his future is more secure elsewhere.
Appointed in January 2010, he has suffered public fallouts with such high-profile figures as Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan and endured criticism as various politicians, even prime ministers, in the Caribbean have sought to join the bandwagon. Gibson declined to confirm or deny his interest in the Warwickshire role when contacted by ESPNcricinfo.
Among the other candidates thought to have shown an interest in the Warwickshire job are former New Zealand, Scotland and Kenya coach, Andy Moles, the England bowling coach, David Saker – who has now withdrawn – the former Glamorgan and Bermuda captain, David Hemp, and the ECB’s performance director, David Parsons. Dougie Brown and Graeme Welch, who are already on the coaching staff at Edgbaston, have also applied for the role with Welch the man favoured by the Warwickshire dressing room.
Gibson is sure to be considered among the strongest candidates. A former international player, the Barbados-born fast bowler helped Durham to their first silverware in 2007 before being appointed England’s bowling coach. He has improved the fitness and discipline of the West Indies squad but, despite some encouraging performances, has been thwarted by the unavailability of senior players and his sometimes troubled relationship with them.
The interest of so many high-profile candidates underlines the attraction of the Warwickshire job. Based at a large, recently redeveloped stadium with excellent facilities, the role pays relatively well and does not require the huge amount of overseas travel involved with an international coaching position. Whether the salary could match the package that Gibson enjoys with West Indies, thought to be around $300,000, is highly debatable, however. (Cricinfo)
