ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd has praised suspended West Indies head coach Phil Simmons for his role in helping to build the regional side, but says his controversial comments were ill-advised.
The legendary former captain said that differences of opinion on the selection panel should be dealt with through dialogue.
“It must be noted that in the short time that Phil has been involved as head coach, he has done a good job in building team unity and morale, and the players have warmed to his coaching methods,” Lloyd said.
“Phil has apologised to all for his recent public statements and how strongly he would have felt on certain selection matters of the team.”
He continued: “We agreed — at times — that we will have a difference of opinion, but we cannot condone such outbursts.
“Therefore, we will always seek discussion and dialogue at every stage of the selection process and work towards the best interest of West Indies cricket.”
Last Friday, Simmons courted controversy when he claimed that “interference from outside” was behind the continued non-selection of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard on the one-day team.
Simmons told media in Barbados that he and Lloyd were in favour of the Trinidadian duo being selected but had been out-voted by fellow selectors Courtney Walsh, Eldine Baptiste and Courtney Browne.
However, the 52-year-old Trinidadian contended that it was “disappointing for me to know that in any aspect of life … [people would use] their position to get people into a squad or in this case, get people left out of a squad”.
Simmons has been suspended over the comments and will face a WICB disciplinary panel shortly.
