'I'm meant to be the tough guy but it hurts' - Justin Langer opens up on media leaks over his coaching style

Australia’s head coach Justin Langer was put under major scrutiny by the Australian media after the team suffered an embarrassing loss against visiting India by 2-1 in the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy. After the defeat, the media suggested that many players aren’t satisfied with Langer’s approach and management skills.

The media leaks reported that sources from the Australian team revealed that the mood in the dressing room during the draining summer was brought down by Langer’s ‘mood swings’ and ‘too much micro-management’. Also, it is learned that the bowlers weren’t happy with Justin giving them too many directions and instructions, especially during the Gabba Test against India.

Speaking about the sudden spotlight of his coaching techniques and the media leaks, Justin Langer reckoned that it killed him to know such things as he has always been a supporter of honest conversations and have encouraged the players to come up to him and speak their minds irrespective of the situation.

“That’s the killer. I’ve talked for years about honest conversations and the worst part about it all for me was it came out two weeks after the Test match. If there was such an issue, the players or the assistant coaches would have come and spoken to me.

“I honestly believe that whilst there’s areas we can always improve, the only thing that’s really changed about me since I’ve been in this job, since I’ve been in the Western Australia (coaching job), is we lost a Test match,” Langer was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

I’m meant to be the tough guy, but it hurts: Justin Langer

Further in the interaction, Langer revealed that the leaks and accusations regarding his coaching managed to upset his family, especially his wife who even asked him why he was coaching the senior national team. He further asserted that the thing he hates the most is being under the spotlight all the time.

“I might sound like a sook here, but the biggest thing that will wear me down isn’t the travel, isn’t the game, isn’t the three formats, it is just the incredible spotlight you are always under. We’ve felt that the last few weeks. A lot of it was pretty rough and that wears down my family as much as anything. I’m meant to be the tough guy, but it hurts,” Justin Langer concluded.