By Anthony Foster, Freelance WriterWHEN ONE door is closed, another will open. This seems to be the case for former Jamaica cricket captain Robert Samuels after losing his place in a 26-man training squad announced last Wednesday.
The Gleaner learnt that the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) directed the Ruddy Williams-led selection panel not to include Samuels in the training squad, however, this was denied by its CEO, Brian Breese.
When asked if the board did direct the selectors, Williams, Lyndel Wright and Courtney Daley, to leave Samuels out, Breese said, "no, it has nothing to do with the board".
The 32-year-old Samuels, who is employed to the Institute of Sports as a coach, recently completed the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Level Two coaching course and is eligible to work with Jamaica teams at all levels.
However, the big questions are still pending, was Samuels dropped from the senior squad because of lack of form or was it because the JCA had coaching duties for the Melbourne captain?
"Of course, we were just waiting on him to get his qualification (WICB Level Two coaching certificate)," Breese told The Gleaner last Saturday.
"He will be in one of the national programmes very shortly ... as soon as possible," but before this happens, Breese said, "I need to talk to Robert".
As to which one of the programmes, Breese said, "it could be any of the three teams, Under-15, Under-19 or senior team.
In an interview with The Gleaner last Thursday, Samuels, a man of great discipline and highly respected by his team-mates, did say he was ready to continue his relationship with cricket.
"I plan to make myself available in whatever capacity, I am not one to hold or carry a grudge and I will not do so," said Samuels, who played 106 first-class matches and scored 5,529 runs.
Samuels, who represented the West Indies in six Tests and eight one-day internationals, in which he scored a Test century against New Zealand said, "I will not let bad news or derogatory things turn me from the person I always have been, I love cricket," he added. "I have always given my all to the game.
"I would never be bitchy about cricket because it has given me a name, so whatever shoes I can fill, I will make myself available," Samuels, who was planning to make 2004 his final season concluded.
