Makhaya Ntini: “I don’t regret anything about me going to Zimbabwe”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Former South Africa seamer Makhaya Ntini has revealed that Zimbabwe Cricket asked him to step down as the national team’s bowling coach.

The board yesterday announced that Ntini would be stepping down from his position, but Ntini reiterated that it wasn’t on his own accord.

“The honest truth is that I didn’t resign,” Ntini told Radio 2000. “I received a text message from the MD, saying that he would like to talk to me.

“The first thing that he mentioned, he reminded me that we had a chat about four months ago regarding some of the players’ unhappiness.

“Some of the players and the staff members went to see him and reported that they are not happy with the job I am doing and that the job that I was given was not meant for me.”

Ntini claims that he was then told he was “not going to be part of the tour that’s coming up, the Bangladesh tour”. Following that, he was subsequently asked to resign.

Ntini, whose contract would have expired at the end of the month, admitted that Zimbabwe was “the country that I fell in love with”. He added that he “never had a problem with Heath (Streak – head coach) and I never had a problem with Lance (Klusener – batting coach).”

The 40-year-old also said that when he questioned the Zimbabwe team about any of them having an issue with him, no one said anything.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Ntini’s strict style of coaching was the problem. He put a lot of emphasis on fitness and demanded that all players train excessively, even if they were injured.

“After I had that meeting with the MD, I called them straight away, the players and the staff and I asked them,” he said. “I said guys I just came back from the MD and he says that some of you said the job that I was appointed for was not meant for me. Who is that person? And that person, if he had a problem with me, he should have approached me.

“None of them actually had owned up. They were so shocked that was said about me.”

Despite the ugly end to his tenure with Zimbabwe, Ntini admitted that he doesn’t regret anything. However, he remained coy as to whether he will take up another coaching position.

“I don’t regret anything about me going to Zimbabwe. When I took a decision of going to Zimbabwe, I knew what was needed,” he said. “There is so much to be proud of that I took the decision to go to Zimbabwe and I can tell you now that anywhere Zimbabwe goes and plays, they get respect. You must understand that Zimbabwe can now bowl teams out, to take 20 wickets in a Test match.”