Gillespie believes Yorkshire are facing no limits
JASON GILLESPIE believes the Yorkshire players “have got the world at their feet” as they prepare for life without him.
Gillespie said there is no limit to what they can achieve after announcing his decision to quit as coach.
The former Australia fast bowler will leave at the end of the season to join his family back in Adelaide.
“This group of players have got the world at their feet,” said Gillespie, whose side are chasing a hat-trick of County Championships. “They’ve got a wonderful opportunity this season, and I’m convinced they’ll do very well going forward.
“In one-day cricket, the lads were very disappointed this summer not getting to a Lord’s final, or making the final at T20 Finals Day, but they can certainly hold their heads high with the improvements that they’ve made.
“I’m really looking forward to watching from afar in 2017 to seeing this group of lads go one step further in one or both forms of the one-day game, because they’ve got the skill and talent and desire.”
Gillespie was speaking at a press conference at Headingley yesterday shortly before boarding the team coach to Southampton for today’s Championship match against Hampshire.
It was the first time that the 41-year-old had spoken publicly about his decision to quit, and he was clearly emotional as he sat alongside his close friend Martyn Moxon, the Yorkshire director of cricket.
“It’s obviously been a very tough decision,” said Gillespie. “It’s tough because I love my job, plain and simple.
“I have been made so welcome at this club by the staff, players, supporters and media.
“The reason I’m standing down is for family reasons. It’s well known that my wife and kids are now back in Australia.
“My first and most important job is being there for my family. As much as I love this club, love my job and love living in Yorkshire, the time is right to step aside. I’d like to thank Martyn for everything he’s done for me. It’s been a complete honour and privilege to work alongside him here at Yorkshire.
“As director of cricket, he’s taught me a lot about the game and displayed incredible leadership. I can’t thank him enough for his guidance and friendship.
“The support staff and players have been so much fun to work with. My wife has always joked about me jumping out of bed each day to get to training or get to a game.
“I’ve been completely overwhelmed by the well-wishes (since the decision was announced). It’s been incredibly humbling. I’m not leaving yet, though. We’ve still got plenty more cricket to play.”
Gillespie said his initial plan was to return to England with his family for one more season after his winter commitments as coach of Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League.
But when it was decided that his wife, Anna, and their four children were to stay in Australia, he then toyed with the idea of continuing in his role at Headingley and returning to Australia a couple of times a season.
“It’s been well known that my family moved back to Australia a few weeks back,” said Gillespie.
“The initial plan was for the family to go back and spend a bit of time in Oz, and then after the Big Bash we would all come back for another season at Yorks.
“Once it became clear that that was not going to happen, and the family was going to stay in Australia, the goalposts shifted a bit.
“I still had these thoughts of, ‘look, I could come over here and I might try and get back a couple of times (to Australia) during the summer and see them for a few days’, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought it wasn’t going to be practical. First and foremost, I’m a husband and father and my family comes first.”
Gillespie, who said that he would not rule out returning to Yorkshire in the future, has become one of the game’s most sought-after coaches.
He will not be short of offers, with international roles or perhaps more opportunities in T20 franchise cricket a possible option.
“I’ll have to look at those things down the line, but, at the moment, I’m genuinely just looking at these final four games of the season at Yorkshire and trying to finish off the season as best we can,” he said. “I do have a role with Adelaide Strikers, but I probably won’t be thinking about other things to do until I’ve let the dust settle at the end of the season and I get home and spend some time with the family.
“I don’t write anything off (coming back to Yorkshire). I love this club and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and being a part of it, and I wouldn’t say ‘no’ moving forward, but, at the moment, the time is right to spend some time with my family.”
Ballance, Bresnan, Brooks, Carver, Coad, Gale (capt), Hodd, Leaning, Lees, Lehmann, Lyth, Patterson, Rafiq, Sidebottom.