New boss is braced for a fantastic opportunity with Bears
PAUL Farbrace would love to see England win the ICC World Cup this summer – but is very comfortable with his decision to quit international cricket to take up a “fantastic opportunity” at Warwickshire.
Farbrace began work as sport director at Edgbaston last week, having resigned as England’s assistant coach after five years in the role.
He left the national team as they prepare for a momentous summer for English cricket, which will bring the World Cup and an Ashes series.
But after five years on the international treadmill, Farbrace is ready for a less peripatetic challenge – and delighted to have taken on one rooted in Birmingham.
“It was a difficult decision in the sense of coming away from international cricket, which I have thoroughly enjoyed for the last five years,” he said. “But I have been looking for something else for a little while and this role at Warwickshire was too attractive to turn down.
“It is a fantastic opportunity to do something different at a great club and a fantastic venue and that is not something that comes up very often.
“I’m really pleased to have taken the decision and very excited by the opportunity. With international cricket there will always be a series coming up that you could say: ‘I’d like to be involved with that.’ The World Cup is obviously a massive tournament but I don’t think it would have been possible to do the two jobs. It is the right decision to come away.
“Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t be hoping England don’t do extremely well. It’s been a really interesting couple of years for the one-day side and I would love to see them win the World Cup, which would hopefully have a fantastic knock-on effect for the rest of cricket in this country.
“I have had opportunities to go to other international teams but the lifestyle of being away from home a lot is not something you can do halfheartedly. You need to enjoy being away from home and the travel that goes with it, and for a little while I have been looking towards domestic cricket for a chance to come back and I am really keen to do that.”
Farbrace began work at Edgbaston last Tuesday having succeeded Ashley
It is a fantastic opportunity to do something different at a great club and that is not something that comes up often. Paul Farbrace
Giles as sport director with broad-ranging responsibilities encompassing the men’s and women’s teams and performance pathway. The role is much more suit than tracksuit, though a man of his immense experience is sure to be consulted at times by first-team coach Jim Troughton and his backroom team.
“I won’t be doing day-to-day coaching because the role is very different to that,” Farbrace said. “But I’d like to think the experience I have gained would be helpful to the people that are coaching and I want to help them as much as possible.
“I am really excited to be returning to county cricket, which I think is in a great place. Over the last couple of years I have watched it carefully, especially at Kent, where I live, and Sussex, where my stepson plays.
“I am excited by all three tournaments that are in place. County championship cricket in Division One is very strong, probably the best domestic cricket in the world.”