The_Lickey_Banker wrote:

Tayls79 wrote:

In reply to a couple of comments. The "mutual consent" has just happened with Warren Gatland as head coach of Wales rugby, the WRU were celebrating it was done like this as it saved them paying out his contract. My guess is same happened with Robinson, he held out and this week was the deadline at which the club would sack him. So maybe it is actually a good outcome not to have to pay him out. Re Frost as batting coach. I think he could do it in isolation, seems one player per season makes good progress on their batting, but not overall and couldn't help multiple people at the same time. Perhaps he was more suited as batting mentor rather than someone with squad responsibility.

Perhaps worry about having to pay out big compo to Robinson, could be why no DoC appointment hasn't yet been made? Didn't know how much we could afford to spend on a DoC!

With Frosty going from LEAD Batting Coach (and I agree with a few here, he might be good in a one-to-one role, but not as the main guy) and Westie 'moving upstairs', there must be a big shake up of the Coaching team coming.

PS I'm pleased TF has got responsibility for overseeing pitches - of course, that's where he started working after retiring from playing. And he will still be able to be used for batting 'mentoring'.

My reading of what's gone on, is partly in agreement with LB. Looking at the official statement (link in my earlier post) about all the changes, I think the reason no Director of Cricket (or High Performance Director, or whatever title Larsen had) has yet been appointed, is because they've been trying to sort the situation with Robinson. Until that was done - and he was 'cleared 'off the books' - they couldn't move (or afford) to appoint a DoC. It is significant that the club say they are, "close to appointing a new Performance Director". And the statement that they are, "currently talking to a replacement batting coach", implies that ......... Performance Director in ......... formally appoint the new batting coach (who has already been lined up by Stuart Cain and the Board), officially endorsed by the new guy.

My hope is that the new DoC (much better title that HPD !) will be Jim Troughton - and he has been waiting for the Robinson business to be sorted.

Clearly Robinson was waiting for some sort of payout or settlement on his contract. He wouldn't walk. After three successive home T20 quarter final defeats, two one day cup semi final defeats and only one championship win last season he had to go.
Looking to the future, if Jimmy Troughton comes in as director of cricket with Bell as batting coach, and Frosty back in the mower, it feels like we're getting the band back together.

https://edgbaston.com/news/westwood-first-interview-with-bears-new-first-team-coach/

Westwood talking about his new job. It's interesting that he praises Robinson, saying he was, "a humble guy, great to be around and a good man-manager", a very different take from what George D said in his Cricketer article, about MR's relationships in the dressing room!?

Great interview with Westwood that. Nice to have somebody in charge who appreciates the role as opposed to somebody who was increasingly seeming to find coaching us a chore. Which reflected on the field, the guys just didn't look like they were enjoying it.

George Dobell's latest on-line article for The Cricketer is very sympathetic to Robinson. He also deals with the mutual consent fiction:
"Robinson came in to work as normal last Tuesday (February 11). He coached all morning and then, at lunchtime, the chief executive asked for a word. And that, basically, was that. Forget all that talk of 'mutual consent'; this was a sacking. Six weeks before the season, Warwickshire had made a major change."_
To be fair to The Cricketer who put their on-line content behind a pay wall, I don't think I should copy the rest of the article; but it has some interesting things to say, not just about Robinson but also about Larsen, about pitch preparation and fixture congestion.

Wow! That's a different take by George. Without seeing the article, it does look like Robinson has been made the scapegoat for most of our failures in the last few years. I believe he has been (a big) part of the problem, but its not just been him. Larsen goes with his head held pretty highly by the club in their public announcements and yet he is also to blame (not least for many of the recruitment decisions made).

I hope the full story about these changes comes to light soon. Us poor Members and supporters need to know all the facts about this 'Review' process.

It would be interesting to know the full story of what happened between October and February. As we all noted on here, Robinson disappeared for quite a while from all of the Club's website articles. Then he was back, then he was gone!

A major failing has been the poor quality and performance of the overseas signings. Who chose these players? did the club look at the entire market, or just what was on offer from a single agent.

Hopefully the signing of Latham and Webster shows a change of method is aquiring overseas players.

George's article puts the responsibility for the poor overseas signings on Larsen as well as blaming him for problems with contract renewals. He suggests that the better quality of recent overseas signings was down to Robbo.

The overseas signings were poor before Larsen, so that doesn't add up.

The club was used as a holiday camp by several overseas players, who didn't perform, or arrived injured so never played while taking the clubs money.

Indeed, of of that catagory was resigned for this season, after Larsen had left.

Matthew Walker has joined as batting coach on a one-year contract.
I think he's a good guy so I won't make too much of the fact that he guided Kent to relegation last season (and in the process did the Bears a favour).
https://edgbaston.com/news/matthew-walker-joins-bears-as-batting-coach/

Hard to blame just him for relegation, Kent have looked inept in most departments, more to do with recruiting players rather than hoping average players will improve.

Always enjoy my trips to Edgbaston but I’m not too optimistic this year. Seems to be no sense of direction. Such a shame when Farbrace was here there seemed to be a clear future!

If the batting continues to fail due to poor shot selection, it will show that the fault is with the players and not the coaches.
Some here may be having to eat their words about Tony Frost's coaching ability.

To be fair Kent have been decimated by injuries for a few seasons now. They've had some decent home grown batters come through though, Walker is an experienced batting coach and probably taking over at a good time as our batting group is pretty young but has a decent amount of experience already.

BosworthBear wrote:

Always enjoy my trips to Edgbaston but I’m not too optimistic this year. Seems to be no sense of direction. Such a shame when Farbrace was here there seemed to be a clear future!

I felt Farbrace was doing good things with the pathway and academy and also strengthened links with the game at club level (his predecessor, Ashley Giles did none of this), however during that 2022 season, his final season, I felt the wheels came off with regards to our first team.

https://edgbaston.com/news/matthew-walker-joins-bears-as-batting-coach/

A decent CV. I think he'll be a good addition.

Just waiting on an announcement about the new Director of Cricket [or that stupid title, High Performance Director (Men)] now !

Bald_Reynard wrote:

https://edgbaston.com/news/matthew-walker-joins-bears-as-batting-coach/

A decent CV. I think he'll be a good addition.

Just waiting on an announcement about the new Director of Cricket [or that stupid title, High Performance Director (Men)] now !

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dan-ashworth-new-job-revealed-31074043

Surely the HPD won't be Dan Ashworth will it?! It sounds like he's in some way connected to the job in this article, though as a 'Consultant'.

Interesting article in the following Times link, suggesting amongst other things that Jim Troughton is on the shortlist to replace Robinson, that Ian Westwood is only interim head coach and that Moeen Ali is set to move into coaching after the Blast. https://www.thetimes.com/sport/cricket/article/warwickshire-dan-ashworth-cricket-man-united-moeen-ali-coach-mchsnfn9c

Solbear wrote:

Interesting article in the following Times link, suggesting amongst other things that Jim Troughton is on the shortlist to replace Robinson, that Ian Westwood is only interim head coach and that Moeen Ali is set to move into coaching after the Blast. https://www.thetimes.com/sport/cricket/article/warwickshire-dan-ashworth-cricket-man-united-moeen-ali-coach-mchsnfn9c

As with the Cricketer articles, this is behind a pay wall (and I haven't got access), so can only speculate on the points raised. However, JT has long been the 'King beyond the water' many of us would like to see in Larsen's post (I agree, High Performance Director is a stupid title). I just hope the delay in appointment, is us trying to reach an agreement with Surrey for his services.

As for Westie, perhaps not a surprise it could only be temporary - to see how he does. When Moeen announced his playing retirement, I expected it only a matter of time for him to join our Coaching team - though can't be in any lead role for the time being.

I also agree, Walker is a bit of a coup (though only a 1 year contract, presumably to see how he'll do). As Head Coach at Kent for 7 years, it is quite a step down, but his experience at Canterbury, Chelmsford & The Oval and with England, can be highly valuable, in a team where mental (and technical) batting strengths have often been lacking.