Cricket South Africa drops coach Ottis Gibson, to overhaul entire team management

CSA will instead appoint a team manager, who will select his own coaching staff and captains in the three formats of the game.

Published : Aug 04, 2019 17:18 IST , cape town

West Indian Gibson will not have his contract renewed after a disappointing World Cup in England.
West Indian Gibson will not have his contract renewed after a disappointing World Cup in England.
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West Indian Gibson will not have his contract renewed after a disappointing World Cup in England.

South Africa will radically overhaul its management team, including showing the door to coach Ottis Gibson, as it instead moves to a football-style new structure.

West Indian Gibson will not have his contract renewed after a disappointing World Cup in England, where the South Africans won only three of their nine matches and were never in the hunt for the semifinals.

“Members of (the current) team management, including the various assistant cricket coaches, will not be retained as part of the forthcoming plan,” Cricket South Africa (CSA) said in a media release on Sunday.

READ| World Cup pain haunts South Africa, again

CSA will instead appoint a team manager, who will select his own coaching staff and captains in the three formats of the game.

The medical staff and administrative staff will also report to him.

The team manager will report to CSA Acting Director of Cricket, Corrie van Zyl, who will in turn report to the Chief Executive.

The structure will be similar to that of top European football clubs where a technical director takes charge of the coaching staff and players.

While CSA advertise the positions of Director of Cricket, team manager and convener of selectors, Van Zyl will appoint an interim management team, selection panel and captain for the three-Test tour of India in September and October.

“This change will herald an exciting new era for the SA cricket and will bring us into line with best practice in professional sport," CSA Chief Executive Thabang Moroe said.

“I must stress that the new structure was not a rash decision. It was taken after much deliberation by the Board, taking all the factors into consideration about the current state of our cricket and also the plan that we need to get to within the timelines we have set.

“I would like to thank Ottis Gibson, other members of the teams current senior management, and our long-serving team manager, Dr. (Mohammed) Moosajee, for their national service to South African cricket.”

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