“The amount of coaching involved is the exciting part in Fiji and it will take me back to the reason why I love coaching: to help develop and support passionate cricketers”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Shane Jurgensen has been appointed as the new head coach of Fiji just 16 days after he resigned as Bangladesh’s head coach.
Jurgensen will be in charge of the country’s men’s, women’s and age-group teams till 2017.
Jurgensen’s first assignment with Fiji will be a tour of India, which will be followed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) East-Asia Pacific World Cricket League qualifiers.
Fiji are currently in Division 7 after they finished fourth in last year’s tournament, which was held in Botswana.
“I have been appointed the Fiji national coach for the next three years,” Jurgensen told ESPNcricinfo. “It will be a busy role with a heavy amount of coaching looking after the senior men’s, women’s and under 19-squads.
“The job is based in Suva and the first assignment will be to prepare the men’s squad for an India tour and the WCL qualification tournament in October and November, from which there is a chance to go into Division 6, and be among the top six teams to qualify to the World T20’s qualifying tournament.”
Jurgensen also noted that he was looking to help Fiji progress up the rankings and earn them the reputation of being a team to be reckoned with.
“The amount of coaching involved is the exciting part in Fiji and it will take me back to the reason why I love coaching: to help develop and support passionate cricketers,” Jurgensen said. “In my limited dealings so far I have been extremely impressed with their energy, enthusiasm and professionalism and it highlights Fiji’s strong desire to take their cricket to another level. I hope to bring my international experience, coaching methods and plan to help Fijian players and teams and to give them every opportunity for long-term success.”
Speaking about Jurgensen’s appointment, Cricket Fiji’s general manager Inoke Lesuma said: “It [is] truly remarkable that we have someone of Shane’s calibre coming to work with us here in Fiji. To gain someone on our team, who has come from a Test-playing nation to a country that is not currently a part of the World Cricket League is just unheard of.”