Graham Ford resigns as head coach of Ireland

Graham Ford resigned as head coach of Ireland.

Ford was appointed to the position in 2017, and he will immediately relinquish his coaching duties before leaving the Irish cricket team next month.

The 61-year-old is responsible for overseeing Ireland’s entry into the test arena and their recent participation in the T20 World Cup.

However, Ireland failed to qualify for the Super 12 stage after unexpectedly losing to Namibia.

“The past four years have been very special to me,” said Ford, who is in charge of 102 Irish internationals.

“I spent many happy days in a cricket team made up of very special people.

“Compared with other official ICC members, Irish cricket faces many obstacles and challenges.

“Nevertheless, the team has had several impressive matches with the world’s top cricket teams. I am honored to experience the character and unity of Irish players firsthand.

“However, these challenges and obstacles have affected me for some time. After careful consideration and discussion with my family, I realized that now is the right time for me to leave Cricket Ireland.

“Finally, I want to thank all the players and support staff for their impressive attitude and loyal support over the past four years. I look forward to seeing them achieve greater success in the future.”

Ireland will head to the US Tour before the White Ball series against the West Indies in January, and they will announce their interim coaching plan in the coming weeks.

Captain Andrew Balbini said: “Graham is one of the best coaches I have worked with. I am very fortunate to be able to work with him for four years, not only for the development of my game, but also for his so far. So far, I have received incredible support during my tenure as captain.

“As a team, we have encountered challenges in the past few years, but his consistent enthusiasm is infectious. His determination to improve the skills of everyone on the team has allowed some of our young cricket players to achieve rapid development.

“I think the most important thing is that Ford is a talented person. He will be missed very much inside and outside the team. On behalf of the players, we wish him all the best in the future.”