Glamorgan cricket coach Toby Radford aims for to tap into Warren Gatland"s ...

New Glamorgan boss Toby Radford has admitted he would like to pick the brains of Warren Gatland’s coaching team after taking over at the Swalec Stadium.

Radford claimed the Glamorgan reins in last November and is keen to learn from other sports.

“I’d love to see a bit of how the Wales rugby team train and meet their coaches and learn from them,” said Radford.

“I saw Warren Gatland in Cardiff the other day and would love to have stopped to have a chat with him.”

Like England rugby coach Stuart Lancaster, Radford had a modest playing career with only 14 first-class matches and six one-day games with Middlesex and Sussex between 1994 and 1999.

But the former batsman excelled in his coaching career which has seen him work with the likes of Andrew Strauss and Chris Gayle.

“I have a knowledge of the game by playing eight years of county cricket and for Young England,” he added.

“Someone like Stuart would have played rugby at a certain level but there are a lot of other things required for coaching.

“It’s then about putting in place the structure and what you are looking for in players with good man management and communication skills.

“There are a lot of things to coaching. As well as the understanding of the tactical and the technical side, the communications in getting the message across to people is also important.

“One of the beauty of coaching is no two players are alike and it’s trying to keep natural flair as well as adding to their game.”

Radford graduated from teaching kids in north London schools to working under Glamorgan boss Hugh Morris when he was at the ECB.

He set up the Middlesex academy in 2003 before becoming head coach at Lord’s four years later. After guiding them to the first division and winning the domestic Twenty20 tournament in 2008, Radford was snapped up by the West Indies to run their high performance centre in 2010.

He graduated to becoming Ottis Gibson’s assistant and the Windies batting coach and was part of the backroom staff who won the T20 World Cup in 2012 before handed the Glamorgan job.

Radford admits he has had to overcome some doubters.

“Generally through my coaching career I’ve had to prove myself because perhaps I did not deliver the potential I had as a player,” said Radford.

“That has given me a bit of steel and determination to make it at the top level. I’ve always been a hard working coach but for other people to buy into me, they’ve had to see my results.

“Sometimes former players can fall into coaching jobs when they have not necessarily had the grounding.

“I have had that drive and I have always been a hard working coach but for other people to buy into me they have had to see my results.

“I have had to work my way up through the Middlesex ranks and onto jobs with the ECB and the West Indies.

“Sometimes former players can fall into coaching jobs when they have not necessarily had the grounding of coaching.

“Coming back to how I started almost in the school playground that’s a great help and gives you a better understanding of the job.

“I started coaching in schools in north London and it was 30 kids in a classroom.

“I got a buzz out of things at time and it went on from there.”

Radford described his management style as composed and hard-working.

“I’m a great believer if you put the hard work in you will get the performances,” said Radford.

“I try not to get too anxious about things. Once the guys have crossed the white line, it’s over to them and you’ve got to try and stay level headed.

“Watching Welsh rugby I can get irate and loud at times!

“But in my job. I’m composed because it’s important around players you give off a calm vibe.”

Nick Potts/PA Wire

Glamorgan 2014 squad

 

Radford, who was born and brought up in Caerphilly until he moved when was 16, admits he has found differences between Glamorgan and Middlesex.

“Lord’s and the Swalec Stadium are two wonderful facilities,” said Radford.

“Lord’s is the place everyone wants to play but the Swalec Stadium also has excellent facilities.” he said.

“I have found Glamorgan a friendly club and the big London clubs can often be impersonal.

“People can live a long way from the capital and as soon as the game is finished they are driving home. Here there’s a bit more of a community feel and the players families know each other.

“This is the team I supported as a youngster and grew up watching when my Dad brought me down to the old Sophia Gardens and St Helen’s ground and I still have family in Ammanford.”

Radford also revealed outsiders would be surprised by the work ethic demonstrated by some of the West Indies players during his Caribbean tenure.

“The professionalism of some of those guys was excellent,” he added.

“A lot of people think the West Indies turn up in their flip flops and shorts, whack a few balls with a big smile on their face.

“But there’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes.

“I learned an enormous amount working with Shiv Chanderpaul who was world No.1 batsman in the last couple of years.

“I always admired the way he could bat four or five hours and come off at the end and still want to go on the bowling machine.

“In my experience the best players are always striving to get better and ask you to keep an eye on things.

“They are always pushing the bar and open to advice.”

Radford has attempted to instil this work ethic into the Glamorgan players after bringing them into pre-season training last November.

“I have found the Glamorgan players first-class,” he said.

“They are working hard and I can’t ask anymore of them.

“All winter the young players have been working hard technically and the senior players have been great.”

They were rewarded with their opening victory but a winning team is set to be changed against Gloucestershire next Sundayfollowing the arrival of South African star Jacques Rudolph who missed the first fixture after completing an Ironman.

“It will be an interesting selection meeting,” smiled Radford.

“Jacques has to play so someone has to miss out. But I have told the players a healthy squad is one where you have competition and players fighting for positions.”

Article source: http://www.stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk/sport/11050914.Rugby__Scotland_international_Greig_Laidlaw_to_join_Gloucester/?ref=var_0

Glamorgan cricket coach Toby Radford aims for to tap into Warren Gatland"s ...