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The Barbados Nation Rock steady Ricky Skerritt committed to his job
Haydn Gill - 3 June 2001

Ricky Skerritt feels the events of the last week have questioned his competence and integrity, but the reinstated West Indies team manager is committed to his job under the new top brass of the regional cricket board.

"I remain committed to leading the management of the team with whoever is in leadership at the board level," he told SUNSPORT last night.

Skerritt was speaking after it was announced he was returned as team manager and that West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Pat Rousseau and vice-president Clarvis Joseph had resigned.

"I would be happy to return to my role as team manager as soon as I receive official confirmation and clarity of the way forward," Skerritt said in a telephone interview from his St. Kitts home.

His comments came in the aftermath of the WICB's decision to reinstate him following a challenge from some board members over the process in which he was sacked.

"I would say that my competence and my integrity were brought into question," Skerritt said when asked if he felt vindicated by his decision not to offer his resignation after he was pressed for it by the top brass the WICB.

"I have to deal with the consequences of that. I think that whatever changes may have taken place at the WICB level, I have no control over," he added.

"What happens at that level is not my doing. I simply work with the West Indies cricket team and I work under the guidance of the WICB."

Following Skerritt's reinstatement, Rousseau and Clarvis Joseph tendered their resignations with effect from tomorrow.

Rousseau and Joseph had held debriefing sessions with Skerritt after four successive series in which he was team manager and came to the conclusion that the 44-year-old Kittitian was not, in our opinion, a suitable person to manage the West Indies team at this time.

Skerritt believes he has the support of the majority of the board.

"If I have the job, I assume that I have the confidence of the people that employ me," he said.

"I will do whatever I can to ensure that the information flows are kept going so that we understand each other clearly. It is important that there is always clarity and there is always communication."

Skerritt, who had served 15 months of a three-year contract when he was informed of his sacking via e-mail last week Friday, said he was not in a position to say if his image had been tarnished by the entire series of events.

"I have not been doing any surveys. My image is important to me, but what is more important at this time is the image of West Indies cricket," he said.

"We have to focus on what is good for West Indies cricket."

He also refused to be drawn into the reasons why he was asked for his resignation.

"The people who asked me to resign would have been the best ones to tell you that," he said.

"I am confident that I can do the job. I will not want to discuss any of the strengths and weaknesses of my performance as I understand it."

And how does he envisage his immediate relationship with Shillingford?

"As long as I choose to be in the organisation or as long as they give me the opportunity to continue to be in the organisation, then I have to work with Mr. Shillingford as long as he is there," Skerritt said.

"I would have to work out with Mr. Shillingford what is the best way forward for the relationship."

© The Barbados Nation


Teams West Indies.

Source: The Barbados Nation
Editorial comments can be sent to The Barbados Nation at nationnews@sunbeach.net