Question and answer session with Richard Pybus

Border Cricket23-May-2001Q: Where did your love of cricket come from and why did you turn to coaching?A: When I was eight I was so bad at school that my parents sent me to a primary school that had small classes to get special attention. They played cricket and rugby as prior to that the only game I knew was soccer and being a Geordie (i.e. from Newcastle, UK), I was soccer mad. I was made to teach physical education classes at school because some of the acade-mic teachers didn’t want me in their classes. Bit disruptive, they said. All I wanted to do was be outside and play sport and I suppose it blossomed from there, so when I had my umpteenth spell on the surgeon’s table for cricket and rugby injuries when I was 25, I turned to coaching full time.Q: Your appointment as coach to the Pakistan World Cup side was big news. How difficult was it to accept the position given the suddenness of the appointment and involvement with the Border Bears?A: Joining the Pakistan team for the World Cup didn’t affect the Border setup as we had already finished the season, it wasn’t a difficult decision (although Ali Bacher wasn’t too happy) because if you’re not aiming to accept the biggest challenges in the game, what are you doing the job for?Q: How would you describe your relationship with the Pakistan team and management during the World Cup?A: All the players were fantastic but the only downside was our manager who was a bumbling idiot. He would order the physio to treat him –for old age! — and the players would have to wait until he had finished. He was later appointed interim chairman of the board after the military coup in Pakistan and it was he who was responsible for sacking me.Q: What were your feelings on learning of your sacking and what do you think the reasons behind it were?A: My feelings were disbelief and anger. The chairman didn’t even have the balls to see me personally, he got one of his henchmen to do it for him. I believe the reasoning behind it was that he didn’t want a foreigner doing the job, it was a political decision made by him and him alone. He didn’t consult the captain, Wasim Akram, nor the manager, before he made it. But what goes around, comes around and he was sacked as chairman shortly afterward! .Q: Looking back, would you have made the same decision to have coached Pakistan?A: Yes,I knew that Graham Ford would be coaching the South African side up to the next World Cup so there wouldn’ be any openings there and when you are invited to coach one of the best sides in the world, where you already have an excellent relationship with the players, you have to accept these challenges. If there hadn’t been a military coup –the army sacked the then cricket board — one day after I signed my contract then I would still be in the job.Q: Do you ever think you will coach South Africa one day. If not, why?A: Not in the near future. I don’t think Ali Bacher is my greatest fan!Q: To the future. What does being back home and coaching the Border Bears mean to you?A: It’s great to be home and to be working with such a great group of guys again. That’s what makes it so special — the relationship with the players.Q: The team has done incredibly well the past two seasons. What do you put that down to?A: A common vision for the whole business, good administrative staff, good support systems, good facilities, good players and above all the best skipper in SA cricket in Pieter Strydom.Q: Losing out in three finals must have been terribly disappointing. Will it be difficult to lift the side mentally this season?A: No, we are hungrier than ever.Q: What do you hope to achieve with the Bears this season?A: Win the SuperSport trophy and Standard Bank Cups.Q: How strong is Border cricket when it comes to current depth?A: Exciting times lie ahead with a nucleus of young players below the age of 24. Mark Boucher, Makhaya Ntini, Geoff Love, Laden Gamiet, Ian Mitchell, Dumisa Makalima to name but a few. Offset this with the experience of our senior players and the future is very positive.Q: What advice would you give a batsman who is struggling to find form. Similarly to a bowler you know can do better?A: Whether it be a batsman or a bowler each individual needs to know where he wants to get to. VISION is important. From there they need to take stock of where they are now, assess their strengths and weaknesses and get a firm plan of how they are going to address these areas, making sure that they focus on positive aspects of their performance to maintain confidence while they turn weaknesses into strengths. They need to utilise their coach to get accurate feedback and to evaluate their progress. In fact this goes for every sport, and not just cricket.Q: Briefly, what makes Richard Pybus tick as a person when he’s not coaching? What are your hobbies and interests, tell us a bit about your family, etc.A: Firstly, my relationship with God takes priority, secondly, spending as much time as possible with my daughter, Jessica. Thirdly, keeping fit — although I do have the odd vice! — and last, but not least, reading and learning about anything and everything, which is probably why I wasn’t teachers pet, as I was never interested in the school syllabus. But for any kids who want to use my earlier comments about school as an excuse not to study, think again. I did graduate from university, so do make sure you pass your exams, those bits of paper come in quite useful later in life.