Akhtar not qualified enough: PCB

[naveed]

LAHORE: Controversial former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar threw his hat into the ring on Friday to become Pakistan's next bowling coach.


Pakistan have been hunting for a bowling coach since appointing Australian Dav Whatmore as head coach in March, with former Essex paceman Ian Pont the leading contender.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) set up a three-man committee to find a suitable candidate but so far nothing has been finalised.


"I am ready to be the bowling coach for Pakistan," Akhtar, 37, told reporters. "If the PCB contacts me then I will offer my services."


The paceman, whose career was plagued by fitness and discipline problems, retired from cricket after the World Cup last year and has since been involved in business.
He took 178 wickets in 46 Tests and 247 in 163 one-day internationals.


"It's an honour to serve the country and it can be done by helping the upcoming bowlers. It will give me a chance to pay back what the country has given me," said Akhtar.
Pakistan face Australia in a limited-overs series in the United Arab Emirates from August 28, with three one-day internationals and three Twenty20s.


Akhtar said Pakistan will miss fast bowler Umar Gul, not selected for the ODIs.
"Both Gul and Brett Lee will be missed in the series," said Akhtar. "But it will be a good series and bowlers will play a key role in the series."


Lee, considered as quick as Akhtar, retired from international cricket last month.

source

[mrk123]

Please no, thank you!

[UKspec786]

And there i was, thinking things couldn't get any worse in Pakistan.

[Afraheem]

​یہ بولنگ کوچ سے زیادہ اچھا چرس کوچ بن سکتا ہے لوگوں کو جہاز بنایا کرے سوتا لگوا کر

[Perfect]

^^ what's wrong in making him the bowling coach? have you ever heard of Ian Pont? I just don't understand paki mentatlity why they always go for a gora when there are people in Pakistan who can do a better job.

[r3sp3ct]

i go for "YES" becz v shd pay in rupees nt in dollars and think abt pakistan n try to be petriot atleast S.A played fr nation evn nt fr himself

[Geek]

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) coach-hunt committee has shown no interest in Shoaib Akhtar’s offer to take on the vacant bowling coach’s role with the national squad.




Akhtar, while talking to reporters in Lahore on Thursday, said that he will jump at the opportunity if the PCB approached him. However, a member of the committee said that the former pacer was not eligible due to lack of qualifications as a ‘professional coach’.
Pakistan is without a bowling coach since former fast-bowler Aqib Javed resigned from the post to take up UAE’s head coach position after the series against England earlier this year. While the three-member committee that comprises Intikhab Alam, Zaheer Abbas and Colonel Naushad Ali, hired Dav Whatmore and Julien Fountain as head coach and fielding coach respectively, it has failed to finalise a candidate despite months of deliberation. Recently, PCB chief Zaka Ashraf confirmed that none of the applicants were suitable enough for the role.

“Akhtar doesn’t fulfil the criteria set out for the job,” a committee member told The Express Tribune. “We need a professional coach for which we demanded at least five years coaching experience. Secondly, the candidate must be a level-3 coach. These are the two main pre-requisites which were a must to apply for the job and Akhtar does not have either of them. No doubt he was a great pacer in his days but a good cricketing history cannot guarantee good coaching career.”

The member, however, confirmed that Akhtar’s chequered history – his run-ins with the PCB as well as doping and disciplinary offences – were not the reasons behind the snub. The official added that the committee was weighing pros and cons over ‘various’ options that it has and will send the name for the PCB chairman’s approval in due time.

According to reports, former Essex paceman Ian Pont is said be the leading contender to replace Javed.

I am ready to become bowling coach: Akhtar

Earlier, Akhtar, who retired during the 2011 World Cup, expressed readiness to work with the PCB.

“I am ready to be the bowling coach,” said Akhtar who took 178 Tests and 247 One-Day International wickets (ODI) during his career.

“If the PCB contacts me then I will offer my services. It’s an honour to serve the country and it can be done by helping the upcoming bowlers.”

Akhtar added that the PCB must utilise the former greats to hunt talent.

“We have good fast-bowlers but not as good like we had in the past. We need talent hunt for which former greats like Imran Khan are needed. I prefer if the PCB calls Imran at least for one day. That will make a difference. He has that eye to spot the talent and it would be ideal if he could take out some time.”

Meanwhile, while speaking on the upcoming series against Australia, Akhtar said the team will miss Umar Gul who was dropped for the ODI series. Pakistan will be without Gul and Mohammad Sami for the tour.

“Pakistan is already lacking true strike bowlers and Gul obviously will be missed this time. If pitches in UAE are flat, then I am afraid things won’t be good for the young fast-bowlers and the spinners, as usual, will have to take the extra load.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2012.

[frenes]

جب اس ملک میں کوچوان جیسے صدر اور وزیر بن سکتے ہیں تو یہ ایک پروفیشنل بندہ کوچ کیوں نہیں.

[khan_11]

well said what qualities did asif zardari and his whole team had and they are ruling us through a fake will of chchi BB , why not shoaib akhter at least he got cricket experience, every thing is possible in Pakistan because the nation is at the moment in sleep mode when they turned into active mode by realizing that whose their culprit are, they will lead the whole muslim ummah Inshallah

[tz00007]

is mey shoaib ne aik sahi aqal ki baat ki...

// I prefer if the PCB calls Imran at least for one day. That will make a difference. He has that eye to spot the talent and it would be ideal if he could take out some time.”//

good suggestion...

[imm_arshad]

This is a professional position and requires discipline.
Jo banda apnay career main discipline ka muzahira nahi ker saka, kia woh coach ban k discipline kerwa paye ga?

[Imranpak]

He's nothing but a show pony who after Cricket does not know what to do with his life so obsessed was he of constantly being in the limelight. Once he was trying to be a Bollywood star, cricketer and playboy at the same time where as now he is an absolute nothing.

As a bowler he was always injured or fighting with his team mates instead of taking wickets. For once i agree with the PCB that we do not need a coach like him.