‘I will never, ever apologise’: Justin Langer doubles down on approach to coaching

Justin Langer says he will “never, ever apologise” for the serious attitude he brought to his job coaching the Australian cricket team.

Justin Langer is working on a memoir. Picture: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images

Justin Langer says he will “never, ever apologise” for the serious attitude he brought to the Australian cricket team that was thought to have caught players offside during his time as coach.

Langer guided Australia to victories at the T20 World Cup and in the Ashes over the summer but stepped down from his role in February following months of speculation that he had lost the support of the playing group.

In his resignation letter, Langer apologised to Cricket Australia bosses if he “came across as too intense” as coach.

But in an interview with West Australian Governor Kim Beazley this week, Langer said he would “never, ever apologise” for the serious approach to cricket that he learnt from former captains Steve Waugh, Allan Border and Ricky Ponting as well as coach Bob Simpson.

“It’s really ironic, well not ironic, but it’s the way of the world I guess,” Langer said.

“On finishing with the Australian team, there was talk that I was too serious or too intense for the younger players. But that’s what I learned.”

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Ricky Ponting (left) was the captain of the Australian team when Justin Langer (right) retired from Test cricket in 2007. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Langer recalled the public scrutiny he faced when he reprimanded Marnus Labuschagne for taking a sandwich onto the field during the fourth Test of Australia’s 2020/21 series against India.

The former coach said by holding his players to a high standard, he was only hoping to emulate the captains and coaches who came before him.

“You imagine Allan Border or Steve Waugh letting us (take a sandwich on the pitch). It would not happen,” he said.

“It was a game of cricket but we were walking out to battle and we were representing our country. We were walking out to win and make Australians proud of what we were doing.

“I will never, ever apologise for that. It was how we were brought up and I wouldn’t be here now if I hadn’t have been brought up like that.

“It was an awesome grounding with great leadership and mentors.”

Langer enjoyed considerable success towards the end of his tenure. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Now that the dust has settled on his exit from the Australian team, Langer has turned his attention to writing his memoirs.

He admitted his resignation had left him with “some scars” but said the writing process had been “a form of therapy”.

“Right now it’s a form of therapy, writing, because at the time I was angry,” he said.

“I was deeply hurt by the media. I’ve got very thick skin but more so how it was affecting my family.”

Langer said he’d contemplated a move away from cricket as he looked to the future.

“I just wonder now whether it’s time for a new chapter and doing something else because I love the game of cricket but I’ve been doing it (for a long time),” he said.

“I’m really excited for the future. I’ve got some scars from the last 12 months but I’ll work through those. That’s life. In my darkest hours, I’ve learned my greatest lessons.”