Russell Domingo, ousted unceremoniously as coach of the Proteas, is eager to change course with the youth of the country.
‘Coaching the national team is definitely a high-pressure job and I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders‚’ he said. ‘I have loved my time as national team coach for four years, but to be honest, it wears you down. When the team wins‚ people praise the players, and when they lose the criticism goes to the coach‚’ he said.
In an interview with The Times, ahead of the SA Invitational match against Bangladesh, he said he was ready to reinvent himself as a coach.
‘I am in a good space at the moment and looking forward to this next chapter of my coaching career where I will be working with the younger players at the CSA academy and South Africa A.’
Reflecting on the emergence of talented young players at national level, he reiterated his belief that players should get a fair crack of the whip.
Asked if 22-year-old opening batsman Aiden Markram should make his debut against Bangladesh next week‚ Domingo pointed out he was happy that he was no longer part of that kind of tough decision-making.
‘He is obviously in fantastic form, but I like to be fair to players. Heino Kuhn went to England and played under really tough conditions against a high-quality bowling attack in his first Test series. If you remember Dane Vilas‚ he went to India and played under horrible conditions.
‘I guess my loyalty will always go with trying to give the guy another crack in our conditions‚ but the future will always be favoured with the view of going with a younger player.’
He also asserted that the best place for Quinton de Kock was at No 6.
‘Seven is magnificent if you have batters who can bat and you have a top-order batter who can bowl. If you don’t have a top-order batter who can bowl‚ I will bat him at six.
‘You have to have the guy who can take on the second new ball‚ score runs quickly with the lower order, and he is also technically good enough and he fits that profile very well.’
Photo: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix
