Duncan Fletcher joins the Proteas

Coach Fletcher joins the Proteas and could turn on his Ashes winnersLawrence Booth and Neil Manthorp guardian.co.uk, Tuesday November 18 2008 00.01 GMT The Guardian, Tuesday November 18 2008 Article history
Former England coach Duncan Fletcher has accepted a role as a part-time consultant to South Africa. Photograph: Jason O'Brien/Action Images

The appointment of the former England coach Duncan Fletcher as a part-time consultant to the South African national squad, ahead of the start of the Test series against Bangladesh tomorrow at Bloemfontein, has raised the tantalising possibility of his taking on the team that he guided to the Ashes in 2005 when England tour the republic in a year's time.

Fletcher, who will take up a similar position with Hampshire next summer and yesterday trained for the first time with the Proteas' squad, has signed an initial 50-day contract with Cricket South Africa, to be split mainly between the build-up and start of next month's three-Test tour to Australia and the return tour in the spring. But Fletcher would not rule out the prospect of still being in the post when England arrive in the winter of 2009-10.

"It's not a case of joining South Africa so I can help them against England," he said, "but if South Africa are interested and I'm in the position where I want to be involved this time next year, then I'm a professional and we'll have to see what happens. Don't forget, I've been in the reverse situation before, my first tour with England was to South Africa. It's just a case of doing your job as professionally as possible. With Australia coming up, it's an exciting time to be involved."

Fletcher's appointment was instigated by the head coach Mickey Arthur, who said nothing should get in the way of the team's success as they seek their first Test series win against Australia in nine post-isolation attempts going back to 1993-94.

"Duncan was instrumental in the careers of many of our best players over the last decade and a half, and guys like Jacques Kallis remain very close to him and work with him, so from an individual perspective it makes huge common sense to have him involved," Arthur said.

"But also from a team perspective his experience should be invaluable and, obviously, his knowledge of the Aussies and their conditions is exceptional. He [was] the only coach to have won a series against them for a decade and a half, so it didn't make any sense to me to have him sitting in Cape Town not coaching."

The term "consultant" might have allowed Fletcher to duck the emotion of the divided-loyalties issue by wearing plain clothes but, just as Allan Donald wore an England tracksuit during his stint as bowling coach, Fletcher will work in team uniform.

"Of course he'll be in team uniform," added Arthur. "He's committed himself to the Proteas and will be in the green and gold along with the rest of us. The former Wallaby coach, Eddie Jones, worked as a consultant coach to Jake White before the Springboks won the World Cup in Paris last year so there's a pretty good precedent for Duncan's role with us.

"Duncan didn't come cheap, but then he shouldn't, not with his experience and track record. I'm grateful to Cricket South Africa for finding the cash and to Duncan for making the commitment. I know how badly he has missed coaching for the last couple of years and I know how much energy and enthusiasm he will throw at the job."

Kallis, who worked with Fletcher when he was coach of Western Province, said: "Duncan is a brilliant coach. Technically and mentally I owe a huge amount to him from the early years - but he never tries to impose himself on anyone, so I'm certain he'll work really well within the coaching structures we already have in place. Personally I'm delighted. He probably knows my game better than anyone else."

South Africa's captain, Graeme Smith, also welcomed his appointment. "He's a quality man and to be able to tap into his knowledge can only help the team," he said. "Coaching has been regarded as an international business for years now so his involvement with England is just an entry on his CV."

You fool. do you ever actually read this forum?

Why should red be any different from most of the rest of the herd?

Ok so I ****** up, I hadn't been on this forum for twenty hours or so and quickly skimmed the threads and didn't see it.

It should make people happy though, because many love nothing better than to have a stab at others.

It's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last!!

Red wrote:Ok so I ****** up, I hadn't been on this forum for twenty hours or so and quickly skimmed the threads and didn't see it.

It should make people happy though, because many love nothing better than to have a stab at others.

It's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last!!

Um yes it is. You have never admitted being wrong before.

taipan wrote:

Red wrote:Ok so I ****** up, I hadn't been on this forum for twenty hours or so and quickly skimmed the threads and didn't see it.

It should make people happy though, because many love nothing better than to have a stab at others.

It's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last!!

Um yes it is. You have never admitted being wrong before.

How is it being wrong? You accidentally post a thread about something that was posted between the times you'd last and currently were perusng the forum. It involved going back and checking, but it's hardly a hanging offence.

Red wrote:

taipan wrote:

Red wrote:Ok so I ****** up, I hadn't been on this forum for twenty hours or so and quickly skimmed the threads and didn't see it.

It should make people happy though, because many love nothing better than to have a stab at others.

It's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last!!

Um yes it is. You have never admitted being wrong before.

How is it being wrong? You accidentally post a thread about something that was posted between the times you'd last and currently were perusng the forum. It involved going back and checking, but it's hardly a hanging offence.

Not wrong, but careless.

Considering your whinging about typo's and spelling mistakes in the past...