How Cricket Australia invested in player power and caused a coaching calamity

The cult of Australian coaching is everywhere, all the time.

Overseas, Celtic FC manager Ange Postecoglou is making headlines for lecturing the press over questions about his recruiting.

«It is lazy for all of us to say I have just brought in four Japanese,» he said this week.

«I have brought in four quality players. They are all totally different, they all have different personalities, they have had different careers so far and they offer something different to the club.»

Postecoglou famously quit as Socceroos boss before a World Cup, revealing his four years in charge had «taken a toll on [him] both personally and professionally».

Not far away, Aussie Eddie Jones is still confusing English rugby hard-heads. 

A Six Nations loss to Scotland has pundits questioning his excellence – again.

In response, the two-time World Cup finalist Jones offered up a story about his axing as Australian coach in 2005:

«When I was with the Wallabies, I allowed the criticism of me to get to me and it affected my relationships with the players and the coaches,» Jones told reporters.

«I can always remember this situation. May he rest in peace, Greg Growden (the late Sydney Morning Herald rugby correspondent), said to me, 'I have heard you are going to be sacked.'

Australia's netball team won so big and so consistently under Lisa Alexander that it felt almost catastrophic when the rest of the world started to catch up.

»It sat with me for the rest of the week and I probably didn't realise it affected the way I spoke to people because I was carrying that around with me. Now, that is why I don't pay any attention to the media. I just get on with the job.

«I love coaching this (England) team and I want to do the best job by this team.»

Another dumped