Pak team needs "foreign coach" who won't worry about politics: Lawson

Karachi, August 24(ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should appoint a foreign coach as Waqar Younis' successor because only an influence-free person will be able to take the team forward without succumbing to pressure from various quarters, former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson has said.

Lawson, who was dumped as Pakistan coach 15 months into his appointment by PCB Chairman Ijaz Butt, is currently with the Indian Premier League (IPL) side Kochi.

"I said it when I left as well, Pakistan need a foreign coach," The Express Tribune quoted Lawson, as saying from Australia.

"Whether you come from Karachi or Lahore, the pressure on you from external sources doesn't let you do the work properly. A foreign coach won't have that excess baggage. He won't worry about politics but will just concentrate on making the best team he can," he added.

Lawson advocated the hiring of a foreigner who should be aided by a full set of specific coaches, in order for Pakistan to rise from the controversies and indifferent form on the field.

Critics, however, have discarded the idea of a foreign coach succeeding in Pakistan, not just because of the language barrier, but also the lack of knowledge of the system through which Pakistan cricket functions.

Bob Woolmer managed to remain Pakistan coach for almost three years, but Lawson, immensely popular with the players, failed to last for half that period.

"In my time, language wasn't a problem. The common language was cricket and that's all they had to understand. In my Kochi team, some players don't speak Hindi so they communicate in English. It's just an excuse of not appointing a foreign coach despite all the experience and assistance he can bring to Pakistan cricket," Lawson argued.

Lawson also ruled out making a comeback as Pakistan's coach, and predicted a struggle for the PCB in finding a decent long-term coach quickly.

"They will have a very, very difficult time. Not many will be willing to trust them because of how they've acted in the past, but I'll still tell the PCB to get a foreign coach even if it's a short, six-month contract. It's not so much the situation, but the chairman's reputation just isn't good enough for him to invite foreign coaches over to Pakistan," he added. (ANI)