Roland Butcher once applied to become coach of West Indies but four years on, he seems almost relieved that the mammoth task of reviving their fortunes has fallen to someone else.
Roger Harper got the job ahead of Butcher in 2000 before he was replaced by Gus Logie, who has now passed the baton on to former Australian academy coach Bennett King.
Butcher reckons King's task cannot be overestimated.
"There is a lot to be done," he told BBC Sport.
"Reversing the trend of losing isn't easy and it doesn't happen overnight.
 Butcher was the first black player to play cricket for England |
"You have to get into the players' minds and make them believe they are good players and they can win. It's a difficult job." Butcher was born in Barbados, played county cricket for Middlesex and went on to appear in three Tests and three one-day internationals for England.
But the 51-year-old, who also spent time as a football talent scout for Arsenal, is now back in the Caribbean having taken up the post of director of sports at the University of the West Indies' campus in Barbados.
His job covers the development of young players across all sports - but it is the future of the international cricket team which occupies the minds of most West Indians at the moment.
Victory in the ICC Trophy in September should not, says Butcher, mask the deep-rooted problems facing the team.
"We find it difficult to bat a whole day in a Test and if you can't do that, you've really got no chance of winning," he said. "One of the downfalls of our game is that we score very quickly but for short periods. The batsmen have got to show more applicaton, more patience and be prepared to bat for a day or longer."
"Our bowling also lacks discipline - it's either too short or too full.
"The fast bowlers just want to bowl fast but sometimes it's not all about taking wickets but restricting the batsmen, making them frustrated and letting them make mistakes.
"At Test match level we're still losing quite heavily so Bennett King has got to stop that trend first and foremost and then try and build. The ICC Trophy was a light at the end of the tunnel - but it's not the answer. We're not there yet.
 |  History has proved that perhaps Lara is not the person to take West Indies cricket forward as captain |
Butcher differs from King in that he is in favour of a new captain in place of Brian Lara. "Lara is a great player but history has proved in his two stints as captain that perhaps he is not the person to take West Indies cricket forward in that capacity," said Butcher.
"I believe he still has a role as a player but it's time for a clean break. We've got that with the new coach and it's probably a chance to make a new captain and for the two to work together to take West Indies cricket forward."
As for England, Butcher believes they have shown that long-term planning is the key to sustained success.
"England are probably the second best side in the world right now," he said.
"But it hasn't happened by mistake. They have implemented certain policies to develop players for the top level.
"Their mission statement 10 years ago was to be the best side in the world by 2007 so they're on course.
"Their cricket is very much on the up. There's a buzz about cricket around the country and there are lots of kids playing as a result.
"West Indies need to start aiming for that - and I think we can get there."
MMIX
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