Whatmore on track for national head coach job

LAHORE - Dav Whatmore is set to assume Pakistan head coach job prior to start of the Pakistan home series against England in United Arab Emirates (UAE), it is learnt here on Wednesday. The formal announcement will be made after the conclusion of Bangladesh tour with the approval of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Zaka Ashraf, the source added. The PCB committee formed to finalise coaches list has unanimously selected Dav Whatmore as Pakistan team's head coach and Mohsin Hasan Khan (batting), Aaqib Javed (bowling) and Julien Fountain (fielding) specialised coaches to assist the head coach, the sources revealed to this scribe. Fountaion had applied for the post of batting coach but the committee has adjusted him as a fielding coach to oblige Mohsin who had expressed his desire to become permanent batting coach of Pakistan during the series against Sri Lanka in UAE. Meanwhile, a private TV channel quoted Col Naushad Ali, a member of the committee and currently assistant manager of the national team, as saying that the committee had made its decision and the person we have picked as head coach is very well suited to Pakistan. "He is the one who suits the temperament of Pakistan cricket and (that) of its team," Naushad claimed. "Yes, we have held talks with Whatmore along with other potential candidates for the coaching positions advertised by us in the Pakistan team," a senior official on condition of anonymity stated. Fountain is the front-runner for fielding coach's position having worked with the national team while Whatmore is favourites for chief coach's post. Fountain worked with Bob Woolmer on Pakistan's tour to England in 2006 and had also previously worked in 2001 as assistant and specialist coach for the Pakistan 'A' team on their tour of Sri Lanka under chief coach Mudassar Nazar. Whatmore refused to shed any light on the issue. "I can't say anything," he was quoted as saying by a website. "I am in no position to say anything." It is believed the PCB had set up a meeting between Intikhab Alam and Whatmore during Ijaz Butt era but it was cancelled following the change in administration. "The Pakistan team are definitely an improving unit which is great to see and I feel that I could continue the upward progress they have made recently," said Fountain. "There seems to be a global trend of hiring former players based on their playing career or their personal relationship to the incumbent Head Coach. There are lots of examples from the USA where successful coaches or managers have not played at the highest level, but are considered excellent," he said and added: "I've been following the Pakistan side and I like what I see, but there are areas where I feel that I can make a difference to their fielding. There are some things that I feel I can work with them and improve."