“The support for Gary was overwhelmingly positive – from the players, the BLACKCAPS support staff, Major Association coaches and support staff, as well as the New Zealand Cricket Players Association and NZC High-Performance Unit staff,” said Bryan Stronach, general manager of high performance for NZC. “Gary’s performance has been really impressive, and we believe he still has much to contribute to the club.
Naturally, a significant factor in this choice was whether Gary wanted to continue, and he made it obvious that his desire to lead this club forward was as strong as ever.
Stronach added that a split-coaching stead setup for the position was discussed but rejected.
“A split-coaching job was extensively explored, but given that the majority of our top BLACKCAPS play in all three formats and that the group’s culture is so strong and encouraging, we saw significant advantages to maintaining the current quo.
“Of all the possible outcomes, we thought this was the best choice we had,” the statement continued.
Stronach also mentioned the “fourth coach” idea, according to which coaches with specialized skill sets or “knowledge of particular overseas environments or formats” will support the New Zealand touring squad. The recent appointments of Stephen Fleming, Shane Bond, Saqlain Mushtaq, Luke Wright, and Thilan Samaraweera are examples of this.
David White, CEO of NZC, stated that “many months of discussions and consultation preceded this decision and, as CEO, I’m very satisfied all options were well considered.” I’m happy for Gary. He is a respectable individual who enjoys the cooperation and trust of the players, and he excels in his position.
Tim Southee, the test captain Stead, claimed that in addition to the technical responsibilities that came with the position, the head coach’s job also involved managing people.
Gary has done a tremendous job guiding us to victories in all three forms, including the World Test Championship. He has done a terrific job of building on what has already been accomplished.
“The length of time that athletes and support staff spend apart from their families and loved ones creates a difficult environment. Stead Being able to properly manage people and their workloads is a significant aspect of the job, especially with the amount of cricket being played these days.
