Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 1099 Wed. July 04, 2007  
   
Sports


Moore wants to stay put


Stand-in coach David Moore admitted Monday that he was keen to be involved with the West Indies set-up when the current tour of England and Ireland ends next week.

Moore was drafted into the role for the Test series and one-day clashes on a temporary basis after previously being assistant to former coach Bennett King.

The Australian could be retained for the Twenty20 World Championship in September if the Windies have not found a successor to King.

"Would I like to play a part in the future? It would be nice to be part of it. You can see some very good things ahead for West Indian cricket," he said.

"Of course, you look around world cricket and there are some really tremendous coaches around who are unemployed or not coaching for whatever reason.

"There are some really good coaches who could do a really good job for West Indies cricket. But I think I could do a reasonable job as well."

Moore was however keen to play down talk about his own future until the NatWest Series with England and a trio of games in Ireland are completed.

"My position isn't really in question at the moment as regards to where I want to be. That's irrelevant. What is relevant is the next two games here in England and the next three games in Ireland and getting the players moving forward.

"I don't even worry about my position until you negotiate terms because the coach's desires are well down the order of what we want to achieve. I am not really worrying about that at all."

Moore added: "I've got my options open. I'm trained to do things and I can do other things if I don't do cricket coaching. I don't have to depend for my whole livelihood on cricket coaching. I've got plenty of things up my sleeve I can earn a buck from.

"But my passion is cricket and I love cricket coaching and I'd love to be involved with the West Indies -- but if it doesn't happen, so be it.

"There is no timetable. We spoke about me doing this tour and, if they haven't got anyone else in the meantime, to go to the Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa."

Durham paceman and former West Indian bowler Ottis Gibson has already expressed his desire to become the next coach.

The post has not yet been advertised and the Windies have had eight different coaches since their former batsman Rohan Kanhai was the first to be given it on a first full-time basis.

Moore is looking for the Windies to bounce back from their 79-run defeat in the opening NatWest clash against England at Edgbaston on Wednesday.

"I think we under perform in the 50-over game and hopefully we can start improving," said Moore.

"We are a young group of players so we have got to learn and it is about gathering experience and also about gathering volume of practice and play.

"We have got to hit a lot more cricket balls in practice and in games and we have got to learn how to construct innings and watch good cricketers carefully and learn from them."