Former wicketkeeper batsman Mark Boucher wasn't approached by Cricket South Africa (CSA) to become national team's next head coach despite widespread calls in his support to succeed Ottis Gibson following a disappointing World Cup campaign in UK.
CSA appointed coach Enoch Nkwe on an interim basis for the upcoming tour of India, leaving Boucher empty-handed, though not bothered by the lack of recognition.
"What does bother me is that there were reports that I was not willing to grow as a coach. It's really unfair," he told Netwerk24.
Interestingly, a recent column in SACricketmag talked about Boucher's unsuitability and illegibility for the Proteas job as he doesn't possess a Level 3 or 4 coaching certificate and is limited to a Level 2 certificate.
"Questions have been asked about why I didn't do courses at that level," he said. "But I'm learning about coaching from people like Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis and also other influential business people. I really don't believe your suitability as a coach is determined by doing a CSA course."
Boucher, who, as a coach of domestic franchise Titans, has overseen five title victories across three formats, further responded to the claims that he doesn't want to grow as a coach, saying: "It's the biggest load of nonsense. With the Level 3 coaching‚ people need to get their facts straight. You don't have to have a Level 3 in order to be a coach and that hasn't been made a rule by Cricket South Africa."
"When I was asked to do a Level 3‚ they also asked me to lecture the coaches who were doing the Level 3."
"I said to them: 'If that's the case‚ I don't mind doing a Level 3 but if you want me to lecture‚ then that's in my personal capacity‚ I'm giving off information that I've acquired over the years and I feel there's a fee attached to that. They said there's no fee and when I went to my employers‚ they said I don't have to," he concluded.
(Inputs from Sport24)