Winning the World Cup is always part of long-term strategies. In South Asia, there are three coaches with fancy agendas with Caribbean 07 in mind: Australians Dav Whatmore, Greg Chappell and Tom Moody.Each comes from differing backgrounds with even more contradictory playing pedigrees and history. One of them, Whatmore, has already been in the winner’s circle as a coach, in 1996 when Sri Lanka beat Australia in Lahore. The other two hope for what awaits their long-term vision and planning. And let’s face it; Whatmore knows that Bangladesh’s record is one where not even a miracle can help his side achieve more than a first round exit.Another Australian, West Indies coach Bennett King, showed at the Champions Trophy last year what belief can do. But at this stage Bangladesh honestly don’t have the depth, skills or experience of what it takes in their third successive World Cup sortie. Those are the harsh facts of such a tournament.Sri Lankan-born but Australian raised, Whatmore owes his Test and ODI careers to the Kerry Packer circus, which for a time fractured the Australian psyche. Chappell, whose blood is as blue as you can get in cricket lineage, played a major part in the same Packer series — on the opposite side.Moody, a practical-thinking West Australian, grew up in a far tougher system and played under three captains, two of whom believed in the type of trench warfare playing skills needed to win games and trophies. Like Whatmore, Moody too has been in the winner’s camp — twice.Yet of the three coaches, Moody is the one with most to prove. He is not hidebound by modern technology as having all the answers. This he made clear in his media interview this week. His precepts are similar to John Wright’s, may be a little more advanced.His vision is clear enough. Sri Lanka are second in the ICC limited overs rankings; let’s keep it that way. This can be done by utilising the available talent and keeping an eye on what is on offer in the A Team ranks.Would Chappell be that detailed in his involvement in India? There is a generation gap here as well. He is also the sort who, when having asked an opinion, switches off then cuts in midway to steal the point being offered. Old habits die hard and his record does not show any remarkable success.Sure, for someone who has been grilled in the heat of battle, he knows it all, but imparting that knowledge and getting results is different. India were losing finalists in 2003 to Australia. What needs to be asked is whether he can improve on that.Moody, having put coaching structures in place in Worcestershire, now looks to restructure the Sri Lanka system from top to bottom. From schools, to academy and club as well as working on the provincial system. It makes sense that as he set about overhauling the system he will bring ideas from Australia as well as those from England.He wants a system that he is going to put in place to work and produce a winning side in the Caribbean and beyond as well. Initially Sri Lanka wanted Chappell until he said that he didn’t want to spend more than 150 days in the country.Moody’s contract has him spending 270 days with the team and sorting out the coaching structures. Also, Moody’s hands-on approach as well as motivation plans work well. As with any structure, the success and results takes time. The system is as good, or as weak, as those involved. The pity is that it is a matter of waiting until the end of CWC07 to see who came out the better of the coaches.
