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New Zealand Cricket and the New Zealand Olympic Committee have rejected suggestions Olympic chef de mission Dave Currie won't be able to do justice to his new job as Black Caps manager.
Currie will take over from outgoing manager Lindsay Crocker but will continue in his role as
team boss at next year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi and the 2012 London Olympics.
He has a three-year contract with NZC, taking him beyond the 2011 World Cup, and will start when the players assemble next Monday for the upcoming Indian tour.
Currie's appointment ends a messy chapter. Crocker was to be replaced by former New Zealand Rowing boss Craig Ross before the Dunedin test against the West Indies in December and was even given a farewell by players.
But at the 11th hour, as the ink was drying on Ross' contract, a red flag appeared and NZC beat a hasty retreat. It's understood NZC reached a settlement with Ross and Crocker stayed with the team.
Since then, sources say Crocker and new coach Andy Moles built a strong working relationship and every aspect of the Black Caps had been running like clockwork.
It was known that, at times, Crocker and former coach John Bracewell had professional issues that sometimes affected the harmony of the team. With Bracewell's departure, it's understood these have disappeared.
The last few months have been difficult emotionally for Crocker, who is very much tied to the team and never wanted to leave.
It's a credit to his professionalism that he's managed the team so effectively knowing there was little chance of a future with the organisation.
There is a real concern in some quarters about how Currie will adapt to a team environment. Being the chief executive of a disparate team for two weeks cannot be compared with coping with the demands, intensity and frequency of cricket tours.
NZC were delighted to secure Currie said chief executive Justin Vaughan. He didn't believe there would be problems with him doing two jobs.
Currie will miss a short tour of Bangladesh which clashes with the Delhi Commonwealth Games, so a short-term replacement manager will be appointed.
"We were committed to looking for the very best candidate around and talked to a number of people from a lot of different areas," Vaughan said. "Dave's track record of success and his understanding of a high-performance sporting environment really stood out. He's got a lot of experience but he can also bring in some new things to the Black Caps and New Zealand Cricket from his time with the Commonwealth and Olympic Games."
Currie started as chef de mission at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.
Vaughan said both Crocker and Ross were "strongly" considered for the role.
NZOC secretary general Barry Maister said they welcomed Currie's appointment with NZC and that his role as chef de mission was less hands-on than previously.
"We are delighted for him and think it can work," Maister said. "We don't see any problem at all because NZ Cricket have agreed that around Delhi time he will be freed up to work for us and we have the internal staff now to do the sort of work Dave normally did.
"We have absolutely no doubt that he will deliver what we want from Dave, which is an environment to inspire athletes."
Currie said he was surprised to be approached by NZC three-and-a-half weeks ago and initially thought it would be impossible to juggle both jobs.
"It's not something I expected or sought but I'm excited and honoured to have a chance to work with an impressive group of young men," Currie said. "You get the sense that the way they have played over the last couple of months there's some real steel there.
"It's going to be different but the principles are the same. The focus is on the athletes to help them perform well by giving them the surety that plans will be carried out.
"Clearly my greater commitment will be the Black Caps and cricket. That will be my primary role."
