Warwickshire CCC: Paul Farbrace excited by 'special' challenge as he begins new role
"It would've taken something very special to pull me away from England at this time, and this is it"
Saturday 16 March 2019 10:53, UK
Paul Farbrace says the prospect of a fresh challenge at 'special' Warwickshire County Cricket Club was what convinced him to leave his role as England assistant coach.
The 51-year-old has become Warwickshire's new sport director, leaving behind an England camp that is getting set to tackle a home World Cup and Ashes series this summer.
Warwickshire, meanwhile, are set for a return to the top flight of the County Championship this season following their Division Two title success in 2018.
"This is a special club. It's a winning environment - and who wouldn't want to be part of that?" Farbrace said.
"It would've taken something very special to pull me away from England at this time, and this is it.
"Every time I've come here [Edgbaston] with England in the past few years, it just feels like such a great place to be.
"Normally in sport, you come into a job when things have perhaps not been going so well. This is an opportunity to come into a set-up where things have."
Farbrace takes over from Ashley Giles, who has gone the other way, leaving Edgbaston to become managing director of England men's cricket.
In his new role, Farbrace will also work closely with Warwickshire's women's set-up, as well as elite development and men's first-team coach Jim Troughton.
Farbrace had been England's assistant coach since 2014, following on from winning the World T20 as head coach of Sri Lanka earlier that year.
Farbrace added in an interview with BBC West Midlands: "I've gained quite a lot of experience in my years of coaching, I'm keen to use that and test myself as well.
"You could stay in a bit of a comfort zone as an assistant coach. With this, you're doing something different.
"You're working with teams, you're working with individuals to test your experience and see if you have what it takes to do that.
"For me, that was something that really appealed in this very wide and varied role."
Farbrace is set to travel to Abu Dhabi to join the rest of the Warwickshire squad for a training camp ahead of the new domestic campaign.
The new Division One season begins on April 11, with Warwickshire beginning things with a game against Kent at home.
