Ten of the best lines from a memorable press conference as the new Australia coach makes his mark

Justin Langer made quite the impression in his opening press conference as the new head coach of the Australian men's cricket team while passionately outlining his plans and ambitions in the new role.

The full press conference is well worth your time, but if you can't spare the 20-plus minutes to take in the former opening batsman's enthusiasm for Australian cricket then we've outlined the best quotes below.

On aggressive cricket

"I was very fortunate, I was brought up under Bob Simpson and Allan Border. I still get nervous even saying their names, they were that tough and they demanded excellence on and off the cricket field and we played hard. I think the public will be disappointed if we don't play good, hard, competitive cricket. That said, we can also modify our behaviours."

On sledging

"The funny thing about sledging, I hear this probably October 3 every single year – I'm going to read the same headlines and I've laughed about this for 25 years. Every team that comes over and it's 'how are you going to combat the Australian sledging' and they go 'well we're not going to be scared of Australian sledging'."

On Australia's winning mentality

"It's in our Australian nature … we love to win, but we don't like to win by too much because we like to be the underdogs. I still remember it was a bit of a de-motivator in the great Australian team when we kept winning every game and they go 'yeah but it's getting a bit boring – we need some competition'."

On the banned trio

"Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith – besides Mike Hussey – love the game more than anyone I know. They are cricket tragics and they're great kids. That's why it was such a surprise they made the mistake they did. They've made a mistake. We've all made mistakes, we can all get better at things. Davey Warner is the same, he's a really good young bloke."

On mateship

"It was so competitive to get into the (Australian) team, but when you walk through the doors with the Baggy Green it was like a brotherhood, it was like a nightclub mate. It was awesome. We'd walk in and they are my brothers. I think about Matty Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and Glenn McGrath – they are literally like my brothers. That's what we've got to keep promoting in the Australian team."

On walking

"I got asked in a radio interview this morning, Adam Gilchrist – elite sportsman and walked when he got out. And I said 'yeah but I never walked when I got out'. 'You must be a cheat'. I said, 'no I just loved batting so much that I just didn't want to go out'. It was like when you were in the schoolyard, no-one liked getting out – you'd throw your bat and get all grumpy."

On his biggest challenge

"The Indian Test tour in about three of four years' time, to me that's the ultimate because we will judge ourselves on whether or not we're a great cricket team if we beat India in India. I look back on my career and the Mt Everest moment was 2004 when we finally beat India in India."

On his WA coaching introduction

"When I took over at WA, it was like a dysfunctional family. 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. I've got to bring a bit of love back!

On his public perception

"People see me as really tough and serious, that's my public persona, but I'm also a bit of a hippie. My daughter gave me a shave two days ago, because one month every year I like to grow a beard and not wear shoes."

On embracing 'different' people

"I like 'different' people. If you look at the Western Australian team, the ones I like the most are the ones who are a bit different. You've got to have some personality, you've got to have some competitive instinct, you have to be comfortable in your own skin. You can't be great at anything without being a bit different. And I am a bit different. It used to worry me when I was younger, but now I'm really comfortable in my own skin."

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Startled, I looked around. There was Langer, steely-eyed and square-jawed. I quickly looked to see if a Fox cameraman or cable had got in the way of a warm-up drill, but could see nothing untoward.

“What’s that?” Langer roared again, pointing over his shoulder. “We’ve got to play these blokes in an hour!”

The video screen next to the Adelaide Oval scoreboard was showing highlights of Sri Lankan captain Lasith Malinga, bowling batsmen with his trademark slinging, swinging yorkers.

“[With Langer, you] were never certain whether your question was going to be met with an answer or an explosion.”

Malcolm Conn

I had another quick look around the ground but no one was paying attention to the screen. They were too busy watching cricket balls flying around during warm-ups. I went off to look for whoever was in charge of screen output, but could not help wondering whether there might be more important things to worry about going into the first match of the summer.

Like many of these minor incidents, https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/langer-in-heated-argument-with-staffer-over-bangladesh-song-video-20210811-p58hsp.html" rel="nofollow -  Langer’s latest blow-up at a Cricket Australia digital journalist during the recent tour of Bangladesh  is nothing in isolation, but contributes to a pattern of erratic behaviour.

The digital journalist was castigated in clear view of the squad by team manager Gavin Dovey because cricket.com.au — controlled by Cricket Australia but run as an international cricket news site — had posted a video of Bangladesh celebrating their series victory over Australia. Dovey later admitted he could have handled things better.

When Langer found out, he marched over to the journalist and told him to be very careful, or words to that effect. It was schoolyard stuff which in another setting could have become an HR matter. At the very least it was completely unnecessary and again, a long way from an incident worth worrying about when your team is 3-0 down with two matches to play.

I’ve known Justin Langer most of his cricketing life. As a cricket writer, I covered his debut when he made a courageous half century against the West Indies in early 1993, wearing a blow on the helmet from fast bowler Ian Bishop at his peak under a dark Adelaide sky.

I admire the way he fought for eight years to establish himself as half of the most successful opening partnership in Australian history with Matthew Hayden.

And his standing as a statesman was pivotal to restoring trust with the Australian public when he was appointed as coach to pick up the pieces after the ‘Sandpapergate’ meltdown in South Africa three years ago.

But players are being worn down by the volatile, high-stress environment he inhabits as coach, and his folksy, clichéd motivational homilies.

As one player told the Herald and The Age: “It becomes draining and affects everything.”

Malcolm Conn was a senior communications manager for Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW between 2014 and 2021.