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'I am excited and honoured to coach Sri Lanka' - Moody

Sri Lanka's new coach targets the 2007 World Cup

Charlie Austin
Charlie Austin
26-May-2005


Tom Moody: 'Our main focus is the 2007 World Cup' © Getty Images
Tom Moody, Sri Lanka's latest Australian coach, has been given a wider mandate than his predecessors to revamp the island's coaching structure at the national and grassroots level, with the aim that Sri Lanka can win the 2007 World Cup and are able to be consistently rated as one of the top three Test nations in the world.
Sri Lanka's previous foreign coaches have had limited input into wider development issues and have often been left frustrated by a general lack of clout over even minor team issues. But Moody, the highest-paid coach in Sri Lanka's history with a pay packet estimated to be US$150,000 plus expenses, has been assured a freer rein to build for the future.
"Tom's primary focus will be as head coach of the national team but he will also be looking at the structure of our coaching system in the island which we believe needs to be reviewed," Tryphon Mirando, the interim board secretary, said at a media briefing. "We have already had a very healthy discussion about the long-term future and Tom will be working very closely with everyone so we can be champions again."
Moody produced an accomplished performance in front of the Sri Lanka media for the first time, sidestepping the predictable politically-slanted questions from some journalists relating to the recent cricket board crisis with ease. His theme was building for the future and putting in place the support structures necessary to properly harness the talents of the national team in particular and the island as a whole.
"I am very excited and honoured to be Sri Lanka coach," Moody announced. "I am ambitious and this [an international post] is something that I have been striving for. I am now looking forward to working with some of the world's best players and taking the side forward. I will be the head team coach but I will also closely monitor the A team and the under-19 team and look into coaching at the grassroots."
"Our main focus is the World Cup in 2007 and the journey we are started now is geared towards a successful campaign in the West Indies," he added. "We will sit down with the senior core of the players when I return to review how the game is being played now and the likely conditions to formulate our strategies. Fortunately, we have plenty of time up our sleeve to come up with strategies that can help us win that tournament. In Tests, our goal is to look at a consistent place in the top three and to do that we need to maintain the side's home form and improve performances overseas.
Moody has also been given the freedom to build a new back-room support staff for the team. CJ Clarke is the current physiotherapist and is contracted until the 2007 World Cup, but there is no fitness trainer any longer after the failure of the previous administration to renew Shane Duff's contract at the start of the year. A full-time assistant coach - possibly one of the leading local coaches like Rumesh Ratanayke or Roy Dias - is also on the cards.
"I am in favour of having a quality support team to give the players the best chance possible of performing at their best," commented Moody. "It may be worthwhile looking at an assistant coach and that is something we will look at in addition to the physiotherapist and fitness trainer. With regard to specialist batting and bowling coaches, as an experienced allrounder, I feel confident of being able to handle both of those areas. If I feel we need additional support, for example a dietician, we will address that when the need arises."
Moody promised innovation, but not technology for the sake of it: "I am familiar with all the new technologies that are being used now in the game and we will also be introducing new technologies into the coaching process, but it is also important to stick to the basics and we will not cloud the players in technology. If we can use technology to develop the players then fine."
Potentially Moody's greatest frustration in the coming months could be selection, which has been a recurrent and consistent source of controversy over the years. Moody, who met Lalith Kaluperuma, the new chairman of selectors, on Wednesday afternoon, will not have an official vote but hopes that his opinion will be sought and valued: "It is important that the captain and coach have a close relationship with the selectors as it is important that we get the best XI out of the park."
Moody leaves for England on Thursday afternoon to re-join Worcestershire before returning on June 18 to start training and planning for the home series against West Indies, which starts on July 15.

Charlie Austin is Cricinfo's Sri Lankan correspondent.