Is the lure of a media/T20 coaching career detracting from the quality of the selectors?

[Gough]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...ustin-langer-handed-sweeping-selection-powers

New Australian cricket coach Justin Langer has been handed sweeping powers in a shake-up of the selection panel.

Langer will join Greg Chappell and Trevor Hohns on the full-time selection panel with Mark Waugh, who resigned in May, not being replaced.

No issue with the coach being a selector but the other two are Trevor Hohns and Greg Chappell who have both served the game well but where are the recent retirees? If Hohns and Chappell had plied almost any other trade they would be enjoying their retirement by now. Has the lure of a media career or more latterly a T20 coaching career meant that fewer players are putting their hands up to be a selector? It's a thankless job at the best of time and I would imagine it's not particularly family friendly but the Golden Generation have mostly been retired ten years or so now and not too many have put their hand up to get involved in the national set up beyond a bit of assistant coaching with most choosing other options.

 

[Demosthenes]

Such a question presupposes that there was some level of quality to detract from.

The whole idea that former players are the best people to be selecting current players is a fairly primitive one that most professional sports are moving away from.

 

[Gough]

Let's reframe the question then; why aren't recently retired players get involved more than they have? The USSR was still real the last time Chappell and Hohns played f/c cricket.

 

[Leeda]

Starting from the netherside?.centering to more value than Stevie Smith has now...
Charging towards super intelligence eventually...

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Commentary or coaching a BBL or BBL equivalent team probably pays better.

Merv Hughes didn't even watch games when he was a selector.

 

[The Passenger]

Cricket fans slaughter selectors when their team loses (and often when they win) but are completely oblivious to the fact the players they wanted in the team aren't likely to perform much better then those who were picked.

Although not always the case, but it is usually the stars who win matches and the stars pick themselves. It's pretty rare for speculative selections to have gliterring careers (shane warne the obvious exception).

That's not to say selectors are immume to criticism. I can't be arsed to list them here but there's been some eye raising selections over the years.

But if you had the option of a cushy media career or a high pressured selectors role... The answer seems pretty clear to me

 

[Hamingja]

Waugh and Punter commentating on the big bash really nailed the T20 team that went to NZ.

Conflict of interest maybe but much better situation than Merv as a selector with no Foxtel and not even watching the matches.

What is Waugh doing this summer? They've been pumping up all the 7 signings on the footy coverage and he hasn't been mentioned at all. Gig with Foxtel?

 

[Cleavy]

What is Waugh doing this summer?

probably trying to train his donkey