Australia head coach Justin Langer on Saturday announced his surprise resignation, just weeks after the dominant Ashes series victory over England and months after winning the T20 World Cup.
Langer, 51, walked away from the job after failing to secure the public support of key players and acrimonious contract talks with governing body Cricket Australia. Board members held lengthy discussions about Langer's future into Friday night, but failed to reach an agreement on a new deal with the former Test batsman.
The coach is said to have bristled at being asked to effectively reapply for his job and being offered a "short-term extension" to his contract, despite a stellar record that culminated in a 4-0 Ashes victory and Australia being ranked the world's No 1 Test team.
Sports management company DSEG announced Langer's departure in a statement saying "our client Justin Langer has this morning tendered his resignation as coach of the Australian mens cricket team.
"The resignation follows a meeting with Cricket Australia last evening. The resignation is effective immediately."
Cricket Australia said it had accepted Langer's resignation, while praising his "outstanding leadership".
"Justin is not only a legend of the game but an outstanding individual," it said, adding Andrew McDonald has been appointed as interim head coach.
As a player, Langer's searing intensity drove him to greatness with the bat. But it also appeared to play a role in his downfall, despite his success reviving the scandal-tainted side's fortunes.
Langer took the job in 2018, with Australian cricket at its lowest ebb for decades in the wake of a cheating scandal. His long-time partner at the crease, Matthew Hayden, said he had restored pride in their beloved baggy green cap.
Ashes batting and bowling averages
"He came into one of the most toxic environments in Australian sport" Hayden told ABC. "It had been disgraced and dishonoured."
Langer not only ended the rot but oversaw a string of wins that took Australia back to the top of the Test rankings and culminated in recent victories in the T20 World Cup and the Ashes.
But somewhere along the way, Langer lost support in the dressing room, with disgruntled players complaining anonymously to local media about his "headmaster-like" leadership style.
Former captain Tim Paine – another post-scandal appointment who was a key ally in rebuilding the team's tattered reputation – instigated talks between the coach and players last August that helped paper over the cracks.
Australia win T20 World Cup
Langer reportedly pledged to stop micromanaging the team's affairs and relax his confrontational personal manner. Grumblings about his behaviour re-emerged shortly after a fresh scandal forced Paine's departure on the eve of the Ashes and intensified as contract negotiations opened with Cricket Australia.
Public support from Paine's replacement Pat Cummins was lukewarm at best.
Regardless of how his tenure as coach ended, Langer's feats with the bat had already sealed a spot in Australian cricket's Hall of Fame.
He played 105 Tests from 1993 to 2007, averaging 45.27 and amassing 7,696 runs, including 23 centuries.
Langer was part of a golden era for Australian cricket, with greats such as Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath and Ponting in the all-conquering team.
He attributed his success to dogged determination rather than dazzling natural ability and expected those around him to display the same unwavering application.
Langer and Hayden became one of the most prolific opening combinations in history, seeing off the new ball in 113 Tests for a combined 5,655 runs at an average of 51.58.
Langer's exit comes just days after Chris Silverwood left his position as England head coach, and Andrew Strauss has admitted Langer could be in the frame to fill the vacancy.
"I know him well and on the surface he's done a very good job with that Australian cricket team so I wouldn't rule him out," said Strauss, who has taken over temporarily as managing director of English cricket following the departure of Ashley Giles.
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Francesco Totti's bio
Born September 27, 1976
Position Attacking midifelder
Clubs played for (1) - Roma
Total seasons 24
First season 1992/93
Last season 2016/17
Appearances 786
Goals 307
Titles (5) - Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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