Is it time for Malcolm Speed to go ?

[JASON]

note Malcolm Speed has got into another fight with the FICA .
http://content-nz.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/250974.html
http://content-nz.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/story/250849.html

He has also been indirectly criticised by Percy Sonn , the incoming ICC President in the following interview. Infact even though he has not mentioned Speed its clear who he is implying when he criticises ICC bureaucracy.
http://content-nz.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/250987.html

Over the past year Speed has got into lot of strife and been criticised from several quarters, so much so that from a time when no one knew or hardly noticed the Chief Executive of the ICC to this position becoming the Centre of attention over all else in Cricket . He has been in the position for over 5 years at least at a guess.

Isn't it time he moved on ? Your opinions please .

 

[howardj]

Yes - time he moved on.

Though I do like the way cuts down the argument from players that there is too much international cricket.

 

[Top_Cat]

No.

We're seeing the same thing happening with him as we did with Dalmiya i.e. he always makes bad decisions, is incompetant, racially discriminatory, etc. Anyone who has been in that chair, in fact, has been accused of the same stuff. Because they're the prime target, they're the obvious person to blame for anything which goes wrong so it falsely appears that there's a mountain of stuff stacking against them.

I'm sorry but the parallels are just too numerous for me to honestly conclude that we have been unlucky enough to have two incompetents in a row running the ICC. Especially since both came with glowing recommendations from their own countries as administrators (Dalmiya even compared to Packer as far as influence goes). Since relinquishing the spot, Dalmiya has been reverted back to being a great administrator in the eyes of many which I don't think is a co-incidence or that he was entirely competent for years, was suddenly incompetent when running the ICC and has suddenly regained his competence...... I notice that a lot of those on the ICC board haven't changed in years yet the president is always the one under the pump.

I mean, I like Tim May and guys like him are needed but on points like the below, Speed is absolutely right;

And he concluded with another criticism of May, who told The Wisden Cricketer that he could envisage a situation where players had to resort to taking drugs to as a response to the demands placed upon them. "Remarks like that serve no purpose in a reasoned debate," Speed said, "and they do FICA no credit at all."

It's rubbish popularist pulp unless May has evidence that players HAVE taken drugs for that reason and Speed was right to barely respond to it. If players do take drugs and get busted, I'd wager that it would have very little to do with workload but does provide a rather convenient excuse from now on.

 

[Craig]

The handling of the ZCU has sullied the ICC and his reputation IMO.

I'm going to say right here right now that is the one thing he will be remembered for.

 

[GotSpin]

No.

We're seeing the same thing happening with him as we did with Dalmiya i.e. he always makes bad decisions, is incompetant, racially discriminatory, etc. Anyone who has been in that chair, in fact, has been accused of the same stuff. Because they're the prime target, they're the obvious person to blame for anything which goes wrong so it falsely appears that there's a mountain of stuff stacking against them.

I'm sorry but the parallels are just too numerous for me to honestly conclude that we have been unlucky enough to have two incompetents in a row running the ICC. Especially since both came with glowing recommendations from their own countries as administrators (Dalmiya even compared to Packer as far as influence goes). Since relinquishing the spot, Dalmiya has been reverted back to being a great administrator in the eyes of many which I don't think is a co-incidence or that he was entirely competent for years, was suddenly incompetent when running the ICC and has suddenly regained his competence...... I notice that a lot of those on the ICC board haven't changed in years yet the president is always the one under the pump.

.

Surely, Speed, as the president of the ICC should be held responsible for matters concerning and decisions made by the organization. Wouldn't he have the ultimate say in ICC issues, and criciticism of debacles such as the handling of Zim cricket be directed towards him?

 

[Top_Cat]

Surely, Speed, as the president of the ICC should be held responsible for matters concerning and decisions made by the organization. Wouldn't he have the ultimate say in ICC issues, and criciticism of debacles such as the handling of Zim cricket be directed towards him?

http://www.icc-cricket.com/about/executive.html

http://www.icc-cricket.com/about/cec.html

http://www.icc-cricket.com/about/cc.html

For one, Speed isn't the President. He's the CEO. Big difference.

Also notice how they are a 'committee'. Speed can't and doesn't officiate alone. Any decisions made have to be made by a majority vote, hence the need for representatives from various nations. So because Speed can't make decisions on his own, he therefore cannot be blamed on his own for when they are wrong. About the best you can say is that Speed might make suggestions that the various committes and sub-committes vote on, as with any CEO of any organisation.

An example from 'Management Help';

http://www.managementhelp.org/chf_exec/chf_exec.htm

What is the "Chief Executive Officer"?
A "Definition"
The definition of "chief executive officer" (almost always) depends on whether a business is a corporation or not, that is, whether it (usually) has a board of directors or not. In an organization that has a board of directors, the "chief executive officer" is (usually) the singular organizational position that is primarily responsible to carry out the strategic plans and policies as established by the board of directors. In this case, the chief executive reports to the board of directors. In a form of business that is usually without a board of directors (sole proprietorship, partnership, etc.), the "chief executive officer" is (usually) the singular organizational position (other than partnerships, etc.) that sets the direction and oversees the operations of an organization.

Blame the ICC for the ZCU debacle, sure. Blame Speed alone, unfair. He's the public face but bear in mind, like most CEO's, he has to tow the public line of the committee even if he might disagree with what has to be said.

 

[GotSpin]

Thought he was President for some reason, which obviously changes everything. My mistake

 

[JASON]

Yes - time he moved on.
Though I do like the way cuts down the argument from players that there is too much international cricket.

Regardless of whether he had any impact on Zimbabwe issue or not, I feel he has been at the ICC too long (over 5 years) and must be the longest serving Chief Executive of ICC .

He is in danger of becoming a Primo Nebiolo (who was dictatorial and held onto the International Amateur Athletics Federation's Chair for an awfully long time - 18 years in fact before his death) and not too dissimilar to others like Samaranch (Ex IOC chief) etc.

He needs to move on and give someone else a chance , IMO.

 

[Anil]

yes

 

[silentstriker]

Surely, Speed, as the president of the ICC should be held responsible for matters concerning and decisions made by the organization. Wouldn't he have the ultimate say in ICC issues, and criciticism of debacles such as the handling of Zim cricket be directed towards him?

No. You'd be suprised how much influence the member boards have. If the board wanted to ban Zimbabwe two years ago, they'd have been gone.

 

[JASON]

Surely someone like Dr Ali Bacher (of SA)or Martin Snedden (of NZ) will represent the ICC much better and could take over from (and do a better job) Speed who has been there far too long and is getting a bit over the top and some might say too arrogant for his own good.

 

[Langeveldt]

Yes, somebody has to answer for the mass, and widespread incompetency that has been the ICC for the last few years

 

[wpdavid]

He ws being interviewed on TMS during the lunchbreak today, and very uninspiring he was too. In the bits I heard, anyway. Lots of blathering when the question of Zimbabwe was raised. Apparently there continuing participation in ODI's is fine because they reached the WC second round in 1999 and 2003. Little matters like the slight change in their side over the last few years and and England forfeiting the game in 2003 don't seem to have registered with him.

 

[JASON]

In the light of events of last week , I wonder what everyone thinks.

If anything I am more inclined than ever that ICC needs a new head to get it working properly again without the mess we seem to be seeing , now .

Opinions ?

 

[Smudge]

My opinion? You're looking for a scapegoat.

The ICC had no option but to take action against Inzy for his actions. Then again, I will reserve total judgement until we discover what happens to Hair's future.

 

[vic_orthdox]

It's been, what, three days? For something that has such wide-reaching repercussions, I'd give it at least two or three weeks before you assess how the situation has been dealt with in its entirety.

 

[Langeveldt]

Speed and Sonn, has someone been letting the lunatics out of the asylum?

 

[Slow Love™]

Speed should have copped the axe after being humiliated by the ZCU back during the player crisis led by Heath Streak, where he couldn't be bothered to meet with the players involved in the dispute, and where, hilariously, the ZCU officials refused to meet with him.

He then went back to ICC headquarters with his tail between his legs, only to reiterate his oft-repeated speech that he was sure that the ZCU was doing everything it could to resolve the dispute, and the ICC didn't need to intervene.

Looks like there are elections this year for the CEO position, so maybe Speed's time will be at an end. Certainly the photo of Speed at the ICC's website that Top_Cat linked to has him looking a little worried:

http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/about/executive.html

 

[JASON]

Perhaps Darrell should replace Speed as the ICC Chief Executive...

I am surprised by Speeds decision to release the letters, given Darrell was talking to Speed through the period before the Test was claimed to have been forfeited and after.

Releasing these letters public is like Speed stabbing Hair in the back ....

*One can imagine Darrell saying ...Et Tu Speedo.. *

 

[Jono]

LOL, S_L finds so many ridiculous pics of Speed.