Toyana T20 snub not sitting pretty
JOBURG FRANCHISE EYE UPTON, MORGAN Lions coach has to settle for second best as he was only offered assistant jobs in Global League
Local cricket followers have reacted with dismay to the sidelining of Geoff Toyana in terms of a head coaching role in the T20 Global League that begins in November.
Little more than a month ago, Toyana was the leading local contender to become the new Proteas head coach, having steered his Highveld Lions team to four titles in the last five years. But it seems Cricket South Africa will turn to a foreign coach (albeit a black one) in West Indie Ottis Gibson to succeed Russell Domingo.
Expectations were also high that Toyana would take charge of the T20 Global League franchise that will be based at the Wanderers, but that post is now believed to be going to a Delhi Daredevils appointee, most probably Paddy Upton, with former Gauteng coach Grant Morgan as his assistant.
Toyana has instead accepted a role as the assistant coach of the Benoni Zalmi, under Graeme Smith, who will be making his first foray into coaching. It is believed Toyana was offered the same post by the Johannesburg franchise, but turned it down, unsurprisingly considering what a snub it would be for him to be the assistant coach at the venue where his full-time job is as head coach.
Toyana himself was diplomatic about how things have turned out.
“I was offered another assistant coach post as well, but it’s going to be exciting to work with Graeme. I can add my coaching experience to his international experience, it’s a step in the right direction and I’m sure he can learn a lot from me too,” Toyana said at the announcement of the Benoni Zalmi coaching team.
“In terms of the Proteas job, it’s still just wait and see. I believe CSA are tying up loose ends behind the scenes. If it is Ottis, then he’s a good guy and I know him well, he’s experienced as well having coached the West Indies and worked with England for a few years now. Obviously I applied to be head coach, but if they want me to assist him, then either way I’m happy.”
In fact, one has to dig pretty deep to find much black representation in any of the T20 Global League coaching teams.
Russell Domingo is set to coach the Pretoria franchise, but that was apparently only agreed by the owners after pressure from Cricket South Africa. The soon-tobe former Proteas coach clearly needs to be kept sweet, and under contract, because he knows plenty of dirty little secrets about things like Cricket World Cup semifinals and the like.