BY ANTHONY FOSTER, Freelance Writer
Former national cricket coach Robert Haynes. - FILE
NATIONAL CRICKET COACH Robert Haynes is no longer the head coach of Jamaica's senior team.
Haynes quit yesterday following the country's woeful performance in the regional Carib Beer Series competition. Brian Breese, chief operations officer at the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA), confirmed Haynes' resignation when contacted yesterday.
"I got the letter this morning, which I think was sent to me last night."
However, while STAR Sports failed to get in touch with Haynes yesterday, he had earlier shown signs of frustration with the team's results.
"As a coach and you are not winning, you are always under pressure. When you win everyone will come and shake your hand and say well done, but when you lose a couple games, people want to cut your neck and that's just the way of life," Haynes said two weeks ago in an interview following the team's return from the eastern Caribbean, where they had suffered heavy losses to Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.
"I am very frustrated," Haynes said while pointing to their excellent performance last season when they won the regional double, the league and Challenge Shield.
At the time, he had also indicated that his role would have had to be reviewed by the JCA, and himself.
"We have to look at where I stand and what I am doing. If probably they need somebody new, that's the way they have to go because right now I always believe Jamaica's cricket is bigger than everyone ... and if it is time for me to go, then it's time for me to go. But I honestly believe the players have a lot of talent," he said.
When asked at the time if he could contribute more to Jamaica's cricket Haynes, who played eight one-day matches for the West Indies, said: "Of course I can contribute more. I have been contributing for a long time and we have been doing well. There is no doubt about it.
"Jamaica has been doing fairly well ... we haven't been doing well in one-day cricket, but in four-day cricket we have been there and about, we have won a few cups, and we have been in the top two," said Haynes, who also played 65 first-class matches and took 221 wickets with his leg spin.
While expressing surprise at Haynes' resignation, JCA president Jackie Hendriks said they have to move on.
"From what I gather from his remarks to us, it's that he has been with coaching for quite a long time and there are other areas in which he wants to spread his wings," Hendriks said on local radio yesterday.
"Haynes has made a great contribution to Jamaica's cricket and obviously we are very sad to see him go," Hendriks added.
The JCA president said they will advertise the post of coach for the national senior cricket team.
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