MANCHESTER: GILBERT Enoka, a Kiwi mental skills coach who helped the All Blacks clinch back-to-back Rugby World Cups in 2011 and 2015, has joined the England team ahead of the fourth Test in Manchester. Enoka, who most recently worked with Premier League side Chelsea, first had an interaction with the team in May before meeting them in London ahead of their one-off Test against Zimbabwe.
Considered to be close to Brendon McCullum, he had worked with the New Zealand cricket team from 1998 to 2004 and also with their national netball team between 1994 and 1997. Captain Ben Stokes spoke on the new addition and said it will help the England side get better.
"All the time off we had between the New Zealand series and Zimbabwe this summer, me and Baz spoke a lot about what we want to do and how we want to take the team forward. We can say as much as we want, but we don't have the knowledge or the experience in pushing teams on to the next level, where we want to go to," Stokes told reporters in the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
"So, if you've got the opportunity to have someone come into your group and help you put into words what you want to try and do, and what you want to try and achieve as a team, that's what we needed to do. Luckily, Baz has known Gilbert for a long, long time. I'm sure you've all looked up Gilbert's CV. Pretty good. He's come in, we've spent some time around the team. I think he's been able to put into words what we want to do a lot better than what me and Baz would ever be able to do."
The 57-year-old New Zealander is famous for his 'no d***heads policy', a philosophy that advocates elimination of individuals who place themselves before the collective. He has a 21-year association with the All Blacks, first as their mental skills coach and now as All Blacks Manager - Leadership. Enoka strongly believes that players who are mentally prepared will perform better on the day.
Given the results he has delivered with various teams across disciplines over the years, Stokes felt Enoka is the right person to take the England cricket team forward. "I think every team who ends up being as good as they possibly can have done has some extra help come in and help put what we want to achieve into words. We've just given ourselves as much chance as we possibly can of kicking on to where we want to be. We felt that Gilbert was the right person to do that.
"When we spoke, Gilbert asked what my vision was and what Baz's vision was of the team about taking it forward many months ago and he went away and he's just able to put into words to deliver to a group in a very clear and simple way."
Speaking on the cultural shift Enoka's entry into the team brings, he said: "Culture around how we operate as a team on the field, off the field, the meaning of why we do everything. Me and Baz are very big on the choices and options that you take, not only should be involved around you but also around your teammates. Having someone come in and speak from experience around an unbelievable team like he worked with the All Blacks who almost share some of those certain values was nice to hear. We're very similar in that way of our mindset towards what we want to be doing as a team. Culture, how we want to do, how our behaviours are, training, all that kind of stuff about being as good as you possibly can be. It's a lot better coming from someone who's done that and been very successful in team sports like Gilbert has."
His inclusion could do wonders for the England team in reaching new heights