Coaching guru's main message to Langer

Two years ago, Canadian coaching guru Wade Gilbert met Justin Langer in Los Angeles.

Gilbert, a world-renowned 'coaching scientist' at Fresno State University in California and the author of several books on the subject, has met and mentored coaches from all sports, from all across the world. 

Langer stood out.  

"I had a chance to meet Justin and spend time with him when he was on a study tour with Cricket Australia," Gilbert told cricket.com.au in Brisbane, where he spent several sessions with Langer over the past week after being the keynote speaker at a Cricket Australia coaches conference.  

"I was immediately impressed with how thoughtful he was. 

"He was very serious about the tour. It was clear it wasn't just a vacation for him; he was really wanting to learn, he was open and asking lots of questions. 

"We had these great discussions around performance. He asked good questions and was very thoughtful. 

"It was also clear he had perspective and balance in his life. He talked a lot about how he stays fit and well, and meditation. 

"Of all the people who were part of that tour, it was clear that he was different. So I'm not surprised that he's where he's at now."

Following the fallout from March's ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town, which included the resignation of head coach Darren Lehmann, Langer emerged as the standout choice to replace him. 

The Western Australian has revamped WA Cricket across the past five years, bringing success via three KFC Big Bash titles and two one-day domestic titles, and importantly, bringing a sense of unity to the organisation.  

"When I took over at WA, it was like a dysfunctional family," Langer said during his first press conference as national coach. 

"The ex-players hated the WACA, the WACA hated them back, club cricket hated them, WACA hated them back, media hated the WACA, the WACA hated them back – everyone was angry."

It isn't the first time Langer has used the word "family" in the context of a cricket team or organisation, and it is unlikely to be the last. He refers to the players as "the kids", or "like my sons", and offers genuine – even fatherly – support and interest in the development of them as people as well as cricketers. 

But with a new role, a new challenge awaits. The Langer Way is yet to become The Australian Way, and the coach enters the national set-up at a time of fracture; a suspended captain and vice-captain, two concurrent cultural reviews into both the men's team and the organisation underway. 

The sessions with Gilbert have been another learning experience as he begins the daunting task of reinvigorating the men's national teams, starting with an ODI tour of the UK next month. 

"To get the opportunity to speak to someone like Wade, who has rubbed shoulders with some of the best coaches in some of the best organisations in the world, there's always take-home messages," Langer told cricket.com.au in Brisbane on Saturday. 

"It's always nice to talk to a master of their craft, and he's a master of coaching and teaching.

"The main message I take from Wade is 'what are we becoming?' In other words, it's good where we are now – but what are we becoming? So you're always looking to get better, to improve. And the funny thing is, as long as I've been involved, that's been the mantra of Australian cricket – how can you get better? 

"Wade uses that word 'becoming' – it's powerful. What do you want to become? What do we want to become? Look at it that way, and you're always moving forward."

Already Langer is making moves. His fingerprints have been noticeable on the squads selected for Australia's white-ball tours of the UK and Zimbabwe in June-July, while he has spent time familiarising himself with CA operations at headquarters in Melbourne and at the Bupa National Cricket Centre in Brisbane. 

He has also been building relationships with players, texting many of those recently playing abroad (in England and India) with words of encouragement and advice. 

The obvious initial complications facing the 47-year-old are the 12 months bans to Australia's most experienced pair and former leadership duo, Steve Smith and David Warner. 

Langer's first means of addressing their absence is by uniting the Test and ODI sides under the same coach and captain. 

"Wade's other key message is leadership," he said. "Leadership is everything – in a family, a business or a team. If you have strong leadership, you're usually going to be OK. If you haven't, things can get off track. 

"There's been a bit of talk about (me) overseeing the three jobs. There was talk about splitting them up. 

"But you need consistency of message. And same with the captaincy. Tim's a good person. We need consistency of message for now and we'll see how that goes."

From Gilbert's perspective, there is only one way for Langer to approach his relationship with Smith and Warner during their suspensions. 

"The All Blacks use the term: Confront the uncomfortable facts. You have to be willing to do that," he said, referring to the players' potential returns to the national side next year. 

"And those are going to be uncomfortable conversations, because it's an uncomfortable situation, but he has to confront it head on. 

"There's no easy answer other than open and regular communication, about expectations, standards and roles. 

"You set boundaries. This is how we operate around here. These are our standards and expectations. And if you show us you can do those things, then yes, we'd love to have you be part of our team."

Qantas tours of England and Zimbabwe

ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye

T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth

Qantas Tour of England

June 7: Warm-up v Sussex, Hove (D/N)

June 9: Warm-up v Middlesex, Lord's

June 13: First ODI, The Oval (D/N)

June 16: Second ODI, Cardiff

June 19: Third ODI, Trent Bridge (D/N)

June 21: Fourth ODI, Durham (D/N)

June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford

June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)

Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe

Sunday, July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

Monday, July 2: Pakistan vs Australia

Tuesday, July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe

Wednesday, July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan

Thursday, July 5: Pakistan vs Australia

Friday, July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe

Sunday, July 8: Final