Anthony McGrath believes it is the right time in his career to return home having started work as Yorkshire’s new head coach.
McGrath has returned to Headingley after a hugely successful time at Essex, where he won County Championship, Bob Willis and T20 Blast titles. He was assistant to Chris Silverwood upon his arrival at Chelmsford in 2016 and then head coach from late 2017.
The former Yorkshire captain and England batting all-rounder has replaced Ottis Gibson at the helm.
“To be back where I’ve played all my career after nine or 10 years away, it’s fantastic,” he said. “To move back home, my family’s here and they all support Yorkshire, my friends as well.
“I had so many amazing messages when the news broke.
“It feels a little bit surreal at the moment because I’ve just started up, but everyone has made me feel welcome.
“The place has changed quite a lot, with staff and also with the facilities.
Picture by Gareth Copley/Getty Images. Anthony McGrath, on duty as a consultant coach with England, presents Harry Brook with his T20I cap in Barbados in January 2022.
“Overall, I’m just delighted to be back and looking forward to getting started. It’s November and I’m wishing it was April.”
Bradfordian McGrath started work at Headingley on November 1, but he was only in full-time last Tuesday when the players returned to pre-season training.
“Coming back through the car park again felt a bit weird,” he continued.
“It’s strange because I haven’t actually been back here that much since I left, with different divisions, us going to Scarborough when we played in the One-Day Cup a few months ago.
“I’ve been to one Test Match here when we had a bit of time and an ex-players day. Apart from that, even though I’ve still had a family home up here, I haven’t been back.
“But I have so many brilliant memories here, from starting as a Yorkshire schoolboy and training here at 12 or 13.
“It’s always going to be home for me.
Picture by Harry Trump/Getty Images. Anthony McGrath has returned home from Essex.
“The experience I’ve had with Essex and other teams I’ve worked with in between, I think it’s a good time to come back here.
“I know what goes with this club in terms of expectation, the responsibility. I’ve gained the experience, and I’m ready for – and excited by – the challenge.”
McGrath has been busy already, bringing in John Sadler as his batting coach and seamer Jack White as his first signing. Both arrive having previously been at Northamptonshire.
There are plenty of things on his to do list, be it getting to know all of his players, to appointing a new captain, to looking at further strengthening his squad.
“There’s a weight of expectation in the cricketing public in Yorkshire, but that’s exciting,” he said. “And we should have that as a club. We should want to be the best.
“Hopefully I can play my part in making the team play in an exciting way, a competitive way and to make sure we sustain it over a number of years.
“The squad’s in good shape. There’s a good age range, some exciting young players, some really good senior players and also the input from the England guys.
Picture by Tom Shaw/Getty Images. David Graveney hands Anthony McGrath and Jimmy Anderson their Test caps in May 2003.
“I think the momentum from last season – particularly the back half – will go a long way.
“Everyone’s excited by the challenge of Division One, but the other two competitions as well.
“I don’t think they were far off in terms of points, really. The odd game here or there and it could have been different with qualification in T20 and 50-over.
“There are improvements to be made, but the squad’s in really good shape. Hopefully with the introduction of a couple of other players to get that real strength in depth, it’s definitely exciting times.”
In terms of further recruitment, McGrath has not ruled out the possibility of another domestic recruit, though admits: “It’s difficult at this time of year.
“We did well to get Jack because most players are under contract.
“Domestically, it’s going to be tough to get someone else in. You can never say never. But that’s probably where we will look to plan for the next few years if we are looking to sign domestically.
Picture by Ben Duffy/SWpix.com. Anthony McGrath celebrates as Yorkshire win the C&G Trophy in 2002.
“Overseas, there’s the IPL and PSL drafts to come which impact our domestic season. If a player’s involved in that, you’ll miss the first half of the Championship season.
“We’re going to wait and see who’s involved in that.
“We have an idea of what we’re looking for. But once our fixtures are out, and the IPL and PSL drafts are done, we’ll have a much clearer idea.
“Logically, there’s no point signing someone now and then they get signed up in the IPL or PSL and we have to change. We’ll also get an idea of where our lads in those drafts stand.
“We are certainly looking to bring in as much quality as we can to complement what we’ve already got in the squad.
“No one’s off the table because we don’t know who’s available. We haven’t ruled anyone in or out.”
Centrally contracted England duo Harry Brook and Joe Root were training at Headingley late last week, when McGrath was hoping to get an idea from them as to where they sit availability wise next summer.
Picture by Stu Forster/Getty Images. Joe Root and, in the background, Harry Brook leave the field after shining for England against Pakistan in October. Anthony McGrath will hope to see a fair bit of them in Yorkshire colours next summer.
Brook has put his name forward for the forthcoming IPL auction, a competition which takes place through April and May, but Root has not. “The more we have those guys, it benefits us both on and off the field. It would be great to see as much of those guys as we can,” said McGrath.
And as far as a new captain is concerned, replacing Shan Masood, he added: “I’m just going to take a little bit of time to get to know the squad. I know a few of the guys, but not all of them.
“I see this period up to Christmas as a time to do some fact-finding and some digging – what we need in each competition, is it going to be one captain, is it going to be two?
“No one is in or out.”
