According to the report, sources close to the team said Langer's "headmaster-like" style of management "wore thin" with some players during the India series. <\/p>\n
However, the former Test star denied that he had lost the respect of his charges, admitting that leadership was not a "popularity contest".<\/p>\n
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"If players just want someone to tickle their stomachs all the time then I'm not doing my job," he told the Sydney Morning Herald<\/em>.<\/p>\n Langer also strongly denied claims that he micro-managed Australia's bowling attack during the final Test, showing them statistics of where to bowl.<\/p>\n "I never talk about statistics to the bowlers, ever. I don't go to any of the bowlers' meetings. That's what the bowlers' coach is meant to be doing," he said.<\/p>\n "I don't do any of that. I never, ever, ever speak to any of the bowlers about any of that sort of stuff. And the learnings of the last few months are I should start looking at that more."<\/p>\n According to the report, an example of Langer's seemingly overbearing management style was when he ordered a player not to walk onto the field with a toasted sandwich in his pocket, but the coach defended his actions.<\/p>\n "You're walking on against India, we're trying to win a Test match and one of our players walks on with a toasted sandwich in his hand," Langer said. <\/p>\n "I spoke to [the player] about it at length yesterday. I said, 'How do you reckon it looks, mate?' Is that not something I should say?"<\/p>\n<\/p>\n