Restoring pride is Romaine’s top priority at Bay

Enhancing the existing structure and restoring club pride ranks high on the agenda of Irving Romaine, who has been appointed as Bailey’s Bay’s head coach for the upcoming cricket season.

Romaine, who led Bermuda at the 2007 ICC World Cup, has agreed to a one-year deal that sees him in charge of coaching at all levels at the Sea Breeze Oval.

“I am definitely looking forward to the challenge and my goal is really to bring a lot of structure back and pride for playing for the club,” Romaine said. “We have a very mature squad and I am looking to have a good season.”

Even though Romaine will oversee all coaching at the club, his primary focus will be at the senior level where Bay will undoubtedly look to bounce back from a disappointing 2013 campaign, failing to win a trophy after claiming four titles the previous season.

Romine, who holds multiple West Indies Cricket Board coaching badges, has blamed complacency for Bay’s rapid demise last term.

“After winning the majority of the trophies the year before complacency set in,” he said.

“The guys thought it would come easy and started missing out on training thinking that their natural skills would carry them through — and it didn’t.

“But this year they realise that if they want to get any success they are going to have to commit and train harder.” Romaine will be assisted by Corey Hill and Jermaine Outerbridge, who is also the club’s cricket chairman.

Bay started their preseason preparations early this year and Romaine is encouraged by the numbers that have attended training sessions.

“Pre-season has been very good,” he said. ”The guys have been doing fitness and tennis ball work and we have had a good turnout so far.”

Bay will start the season without some of their key players who are presently based overseas, such as Tre Manders, Terryn Fray, Jordan Smith and new signing Delray Rawlins.

“The beginning of the season will be a challenge because we will be playing some guys that have put in the early commitment and we have a bunch of overseas players who we consider as regulars when they return home,” Romaine said.

Even though he will have his hands full with coaching duties, Romaine has not ruled out playing himself.

“Last year I played a couple of games and the guys already know my feeling about that ... I have already had my time,” he said. “But, if guys are not doing as they are supposed to, and not committed to training and stuff like that, I will play.

“I have not ruled out playing in situations.

“But I will play the players that show commitment in training first, and I have already spoken to the team about that.”