The events and reasons that led to Graham Ford’s sudden departure after serving only 17 months into his 45-month contract has not been properly explained by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) who employed him till the end of the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
The media release that was sent following Ford’s resignation was a total eyewash and never gives the proper reasons why he decided to leave.
All what the SLC media release revealed was the SLC president praising the efforts of Ford and Ford praising the national cricket team.
“It’s been a privilege to work with these talented young men over the past 15 months. Their passion for the sport is inspiring, as is indeed this nation’s,” Ford said in a statement released by SLC. “Sri Lanka has grown on me, and although we’ve made the decision to part ways where coaching is concerned, she will always have a little piece of my heart. I look forward to sitting up on that beautiful Fort down in Galle and taking in a bird’s eye view of Sri Lanka’s special brand of cricket – this time without having to chew my nails to the bone. I wish Sri Lanka Cricket and the boys the very best, and I must offer a word of advice to the young men – Always believe in yourself, believe in your team, and play from your heart.”
SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala thanked Ford for his “invaluable contribution” to the country and issued the following media release: “He joined us at a time where we were quoted by the ICC as being on the ‘verge of suspension’ and at a time where things were volatile and uncertain, Ford had faith in us and has given us his fullest support. This was a decision arrived at mutually after careful consideration and deliberation and we are both confident of its propriety. Ford epitomises the character of cricket as a true gentleman, and we are indeed sorry to see him go.”
But there is more to it than meets the eye and SLC should come clean and explain the reasons for the coach’s sudden change of mind at the end of the ICC Champions Trophy when there was still 28 months of his contract left.
Reports appearing in the media indicate that Ford was not happy working with cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha as he was encroaching into his areas of coaching and that he had to report to him. When Ford had brought this up to the notice of SLC he was told by their top brass to either toe the line or quit. Ford opted for the latter and Sri Lanka has once again lost a good international cricket coach. Such instances are not uncommon with SLC. Remember the way former Australian cricketer and coach Geoff Marsh was treated after guiding Sri Lanka to their maiden Test victory on South African soil. Marsh’s exit came at a princely sum for the SLC who had to compensate him for such a hasty termination of his contract. In Ford’s case it is reported that both parties had ‘mutually agreed’ to part company. However these are all unconfirmed reports and SLC if it is transparent with its decision making must come clean and explain to the public why Ford had to leave.
Initially Ford was reluctant to accept the Sri Lanka contract as he was well settled with English county Surrey. However it was through the persuasion of former Sri Lanka captain and cricket legend Kumar Sangakkara who was playing for Surrey at the time and who holds Ford in high esteem as a coach that SLC managed to finally persuade him to undertake the job.
When Ford was offered the job there was no mention of him having to report to a cricket manager or anything of that nature, he was given a free hand till the 2019 Cricket World Cup to uplift the standard of the Sri Lanka cricket team and work towards winning another World Cup.
Here’s what the SLC president Sumathipala said of Ford when he was appointed on February 2016: “We have secured the services of one of the best coaches in the world. We have appointed him for 45 months [from February 1] so that he covers the 2019 World Cup in England, where he has first-hand knowledge of the conditions having coached the counties.”
Ford is highly rated by Sri Lanka players and his reputation for being good with young players had been among the reasons why SLC offered him the job, as the national team continued its transition following high-profile retirements.
But after the recent turn of events SLC is back to familiar grounds – head hunting for a national cricket coach. The way SLC has been treating international coaches and the bad reputation they have built in terminating their services at their whims and fancy it is very hard to see any top class coach from overseas risking his neck to accept a contract with SLC.
It has been reported that SLC has shown interest in securing the services of Chandika Hathurusingha, the former Sri Lanka cricketer and coach who is doing an exceptionally good job with the Bangladesh side. Hathurusingha is a hard task master and if he is to be roped in SLC will have to come down from its high pedestal and act according to his terms. SLC will not be able to call the shots as they have been trying to do with Ford and with national selections because Hathurusingha will not certainly stand for any kind of interference and will want to work the way he thinks is best for the team. Whether that kind of relationship is workable is the key question.
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