Bridgetown: West Indies coach Roger Harper launched a blistering attack on the Caribbean islands which make up the national team on Tuesday, accusing them of self- interest which is ripping the sport apart. "One of the things that we have to get rid of is the insularity at all levels. Everyone wants the West Indies to win but they all want their own people to play," said Harper as he arrived back in the country following his team's first round exit from the World Cup. "Until we get rid of that, until we start thinking as one, until we have common ideals and common goals and stop filling our territorial players with nonsense then we're not going to get anywhere because we are creating monsters," said Harper whose contract as coach ends later this month. The West Indies began the World Cup with a three-run triumph over hosts South Africa at Newlands before beating Canada and Kenya. However, defeats to Sri Lanka and New Zealand and a fatal washout against Bangladesh left them with 14 points and fourth place in Pool 'B' and out of the running for a Super Six place. The 39-year-old Harper also complained that local clubs do not properly prepare individuals for their entry into international cricket. "What people expect is that we breed children for 20 years and what has not been instilled in them in those 20 years, they expect them to come into a West Indies team and in two month's time, the management is to put it right and it is not going to happen," Harper was quoted as saying on the West Indies Cricket Board's (WCIB) official site. "The associations locally have a responsibility to the players and to the region, and it is time they start doing it," he said. Harper played 25 Tests and 105 One-day Internationals for the West Indies between 1983 and 1996 and was signed on a three- year contract as national coach in February 2000. Former South African coach and England Test player Bob Woolmer is being widely tipped to replace him. Copyright AFP 2001

Tags: cricket, west indies coach roger harper, caribbean islands, world cup in south africa, west indies cricket board, wcib, bob woolmer.