'Appalling': Cricket Australia's 'offensive' Justin Langer act slammed

Cricket Australia's treatment of Justin Langer has been branded "offensive" and "appalling" as questions remain over whether the 51-year-old's contract as Australia coach will be extended or ended this year.

On the surface, it seems unthinkable that CA wouldn't extend the contract of a coach who helped guide Australia to a maiden Twenty20 World Cup win and dominant 4-0 Ashes victory this summer.

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However, doubts over Langer's position have long focused on player concerns about his intense management style, and not about on-field performances.

What is clear is that six months of speculation around Langer's future must come to a head, with the coach's role expected to be high on the agenda during a pre-scheduled CA board meeting on Friday.

Langer has already met with CA CEO Nick Hockley and high performance manager Ben Oliver, with officials denying widespread reports that last Friday's talks became fiery.

Those reports suggested Langer became furious when told that he would have to reapply for his role, despite guiding the national side through the 'sandpapergate' scandal and helping restore Australia to the top of the world Test rankings.

CA on Tuesday denied that Langer had been asked to reapply for his job and took exception to several "inaccuracies" in reports around the coaching saga.

"While we do not comment on confidential conversations, we felt on this occasion it was important to correct the record," CA said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Among other false claims, we reject outright the assertion that the meeting was fiery or heated and that Justin was asked to reapply for his job.

"Justin has always been contracted as head coach through to the middle of this year and we have consistently maintained that discussions around the future of the role would commence following the conclusion of the men's Ashes series.

"Friday's meeting was the first time that we had the opportunity to meet together in person, reflect on the team's success and discuss the road ahead.

"We will continue with this process and make an announcement once it is complete."

Regardless of how exactly it's got to this point, the undeniable truth is that CA have yet to offer Langer a new deal that the national side's on-field success warrants.

Speaking on Fox Cricket’s The Follow-On podcast, News Corp reporter Robert Craddock took aim at CA in a brutal serve, insisting Langer had been “hung out to dry” by the governing body.

“I felt it was offensive and poor,” Craddock said about last Friday's meeting between CA and Langer.

“Think of the choreography around that day. Three hours after the meeting, Cricket Australia released a statement inducting Langer into the Hall of Fame.

“On a day you’re admitting a guy into the Hall of Fame, you’re mentioning the prospect of him reapplying?

“Langer’s got his shortfalls, and his volatility is on display at this meeting.

“But to be asked to reapply? Nup, I didn’t rate that at all. You either hire him or you fire him ... you don’t say, ‘Hey, show us your credentials’.

“I don’t like the way he’s been hung out to dry. This should have been sorted the day after the last day of the Ashes. Just get it done with.

“This should have been addressed long before now; don’t like it at all.”

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Cricket writer Malcolm Conn said he also thought it was “ridiculous” that the saga has dragged on for so long and wasn't sorted straight after the Ashes Series.

“I think Cricket Australia’s handling of this has been appalling,” Conn said on Tuesday.

“I think Cricket Australia should be ashamed of themselves for having an icon of the game dragged out like this.

“They said the decision would be made after the Ashes, and the decision should have been made after the Ashes one way or the other.”

Several of Langer's former teammates have also made the case for him, with Ian Healy on Wednesday joining the likes of Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting as vocal supporters.

"A lot of those players were in behind the cultural problem they had four years ago," Healy said on SEN.

"The game is going to look stupid if they sack Justin Langer.

"The powerbrokers will look stupid.

"I don't think they will sack him, I think they they will manage him out (on the length of his contract offer)."

Whether Langer would accept a shorter 18-month or two-year extension remains a point of contention after his initial deal was for four years.

Australia have significant series in the short-term, including a home T20 World Cup defence, a return to Pakistan, Test series in India and an away Ashes.

with AAP

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