West Indies Cricket Board chief executive Ernest Hilaire has confirmed that Ottis Gibson will take over as coach of the beleaguered team.
Gibson, who has been England bowling coach since September 2007, will take over from interim coach David Williams for the Zimbabwe tour later this month. Williams has been in charge of the Windies for the tour of Australia following the sacking of John Dyson in August last year.
"Ottis will begin his appointment from the start of the home series against Zimbabwe," Hilaire told CBC Radio. "I think we need to take Ottis' appointment in stride. He will be the head coach of the WICB, and not just head coach of the senior team. He will have responsibility for coaching right across all of our representative cricket teams.
"This will give him an opportunity to stamp a particular style of coaching a West Indies way across all the teams. This is really important because by the time our players reach the senior team, they should be the finished article, and they really ought to be focussing mainly on their strategy, tactics, how they win games, and being able to execute."
Gibson played just two Tests and 15 ODIs for the Windies. However, he had a very successful domestic career and besides playing for his native Barbados he also represented teams in England and South Africa.
Hilaire hopes the former fast bowler will help to put in place a system that will help to develop the next generation.
"We hope that with him responsible for all coaching, he can start outlining to the coaches of all our teams the kind of players and approaches he wants from the players to ensure there is a clear career pathway as they move from the junior ranks to the senior team.
"He is a new era coach, and someone who has been exposed to all of the technologies and new approaches to coaching. We are hoping that he will bring to this task, an understanding of West Indies cricket. He will have all requisite knowledge and skills."
Gibson, who has been England bowling coach since September 2007, will take over from interim coach David Williams for the Zimbabwe tour later this month. Williams has been in charge of the Windies for the tour of Australia following the sacking of John Dyson in August last year.
"Ottis will begin his appointment from the start of the home series against Zimbabwe," Hilaire told CBC Radio. "I think we need to take Ottis' appointment in stride. He will be the head coach of the WICB, and not just head coach of the senior team. He will have responsibility for coaching right across all of our representative cricket teams.
"This will give him an opportunity to stamp a particular style of coaching a West Indies way across all the teams. This is really important because by the time our players reach the senior team, they should be the finished article, and they really ought to be focussing mainly on their strategy, tactics, how they win games, and being able to execute."
Gibson played just two Tests and 15 ODIs for the Windies. However, he had a very successful domestic career and besides playing for his native Barbados he also represented teams in England and South Africa.
Hilaire hopes the former fast bowler will help to put in place a system that will help to develop the next generation.
"We hope that with him responsible for all coaching, he can start outlining to the coaches of all our teams the kind of players and approaches he wants from the players to ensure there is a clear career pathway as they move from the junior ranks to the senior team.
"He is a new era coach, and someone who has been exposed to all of the technologies and new approaches to coaching. We are hoping that he will bring to this task, an understanding of West Indies cricket. He will have all requisite knowledge and skills."
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