Justin Langer: former Australia cricket coach hits out at chairman after exit
- Published
Langer (right) had been in charge of the Australia side since 2018.
Justin Langer says internal politics at Cricket Australia are the reason he left as head coach of the men's side.
He resigned in February having been offered a six-month contract extension after humiliating England in the Ashes and winning the Twenty20 World Cup.
"Ironically, the last six months of my coaching career were the most enjoyable period of 12 years," he said.
"Not only did we win everything, but I had energy, and I had focus, and I was happy - besides the politics."
Langer has spoken for the first time about leaving the role, and criticised then-acting chairman of Cricket Australia, Richard Freudenstein.
He told a chamber of commerce event in Perth about a meeting he had with Freudenstein the day after his acrimonious split.
"The first thing he said to me was, 'It must make you feel so good that all your mates are supporting you in the media'," Langer said, according to Cricket Australia's website, external.
Former team-mates of Langer, including Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden and the late Shane Warne, had been vocal about the way he was being treated by CA.
"I said, 'Yeah it is, acting chairman, but with all due respect, those mates are also the all-time greats of Australian cricket. They are the fabric of Australian cricket. They are Australian cricket. They also work all around the world in cricket. So yeah, I'm glad my mates are looking after me. Imagine if you had have'.
Cricket Australia admitted at the time of his departure there had been some "challenging, robust and direct" conversations around the "evolving" head coach role.
Reports in Australia had suggested some players were unhappy with Langer's leadership style.
The 51-year-old was linked with the then-vacant England coaching job after quitting Australia. But he said it was never in his mind to take the role and leading his former rivals.
"I've never spoken to English cricket," he said. "The thought of coaching England... mate!"