And so the Justin Langer grievance tour rolls on. A lengthy podcast interview spinning off into an online article and back pages across the News Corp stable, revisiting for the umpteenth time that the former Australian cricket coach is still not happy about his tenure finishing up nine months ago. It feels like the Gabba Test in 2015, when retiring bowler Ryan Harris got a lap of honour on the back of a ute when half of the stadium was closed. By now Langer’s circuit has gone on far too long, leaving a lonely figure waving at empty seats.
In February his resignation letter said that others wanted a fresh direction and that “I respect that decision”. By May it was clear that - spoiler - he did not respect that decision. He spoke at Western Australia’s Government House about a gruff concreter tearily lamenting his absence, then broadsided Cricket Australia during a speech to the WA Chamber of Commerce. Both before and after resigning his former teammates were his allies, with everyone from Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne down through the ranks using their media jobs in a campaign that shifted from reappointment to disappointment.
