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BEARS MOVE FORWARD FROM THE "SHAMBLES"

25-09-2007

Paul Smith, hero of Warwickshire's treble winning side in 1994, looks forward to better times at Edgbaston with appointment of new coach Ashley Giles, and on the "shambles" which recently led to a double relegation. Meet Paul tomorrow (Wednesday) at 1pm at The Works on New Street in Birmingham signing copies of his book "Wasted".

Warwickshire's Ashley Giles has an easy job initially. All the recently retired England all-rounder needs to bring to the table at the end of next summer's pre-season training is a squad full of smiling players wanting to compete.

What he's inherited is a jumble of a squad, a number who have been panic Kolpak signings, made during Mark Greatbatch`s 2 year stint of negative happenings. Giles key issue initially is to choose and surround himself with key support staff to work with him and his players.

These are testing times at Edgbaston, ones which should have been predicted. They've simply arisen through poor management and a lack of attention to detail.

CEO Colin Povey has admitted on the club's website that he was told on taking the post that he was inheriting a shambles, his words not mine. Warwickshire's vice chairman Ian Metcalfe had informed Povey of the fact! People have simply been "asleep at the back of the shop".

Chairman Neil Houghton recently made the point that he'd rather not dwell on the past and the recent double relegation, when he addressed the members who'd turned out at the end of season member's cocktail party.

That being the case, now is the time for his committee men to show some dynamics.

The greatest opportunity Houghton can give his head coach is keeping his committee men a great distance from Giles and his players; it has to be a priority. Coaching pioneer Bob Woolmer said he'd returned to a more backward thinking club with too much interference from upstairs when he returned for a second stint in charge of the Bears playing staff in the late 1990s.

At the time of writing, the supporters and membership are simply hoping for a "roots and branch review" of all things related to cricket. Things have gone flat.

Recently the team of the '90s reformed to play a game at Edgbaston, the occasion filled the stadium with a carnival like atmosphere, one which has been scarce in recent years. On that day, when our team took the field Ashley told me he wished he was coming out to play with us, I believe he said it because he knew it would be fun.

The spirit, passion and desire which it takes to succeed needs now to be brought back into the club, replacing a stale, lingering atmosphere, one which has arisen through smugness, and peoples inability to do the job.

In my own career I heard it questioned many times how much cricket was being watched by people who had a say on player's careers, a players worth, both financially, and to the team.

A fraction of play is watched by this Warwickshire cricket committee despite the importance of their collective knowledge, which one presumes got them elected in the first place. It's not a criticism of the present cricket committee, more stating fact, one that needs looking into.

The possibility of Allen Donald returning in a coaching capacity should excite everyone on the playing staff. A.D in coaching terms still a young man, yet what he can pass on is vast, however I'm not convinced he's head coach material yet.

Warwickshire await a decision from A.D on whether he's willing to return to the fold, one hopes so. Another guy who can help turn things round is the rehabilitated Dermot Reeve, a guy who's forgotten more than most coaches have between they're ears. Reeves problems are in the past, one hopes that's understood.

Expect announcements on a number of positions to do with the coaching staff in the very near future. This is actually exciting times at Edgbaston, things can only get better, so long as people are honest and willing to roll up they're sleeves for a club steeped in tradition and success.