By Rob Barnett
Glen Chappleis stepping down as Lancashire captain after six years in the role to focus on a new coaching position with his sole county.
The 40-year-old will be available to play in what will be his 24th season for the Red Rose, but will no longer be skipper or hold the senior coaching role that he took on early this season.
When Peter Moores became England Head Coach in April Chapple stepped into the breach, overseeing a campaign that resulted in LV= County Championship relegation on the last day.
Lancashire have not yet appointed a successor to Chapple as captain, but former England player, coach and selector Ashley Giles was last night named as their new head coach and cricket director.
Giles was unveiled in his new role at noon today, sitting alongside Chapple at Emirates Old Trafford.
Giles, who is just a year older than Chapple, said: "I think it's been a big ask for Chappy to do three jobs.
“In building for the future with Chappy coming onto the coaching staff, I don't think he can do the captaincy as well so it is a position which is vacant.
“It's one which we'll have to fill in due course. I don't think there's any immediate rush but it's clearly a very important position and we'll have to take all things into account - suitable personnel, where the club's going in the future, exposure, experience - all of those things.
“So far we've only spent perhaps an hour talking, if not less, and we've got a lot to discuss."
Evergreen Chapple played in all but one of Lancashire’s championship games this year and did not feature in either limited-overs competition.
On continuing his playing career, Chapple added: "I think at the moment that option is certainly open.
“I think it sits pretty well because bodily this season I've been really good and I still enjoy playing but there's definitely a big part of me that wants to be more involved in the coaching aspect of the game.
“I think where we stand at the moment is we'd like to make my playing career obsolete as soon as we can but if I'm needed to play then I still enjoy playing."
Chapple, who has taken a staggering 975 first-class wickets, added: "I'd like to place the emphasis in the winter on coaching, certainly. But we'll train as well.
“I think at my age you've got to bear in mind that you might start falling to pieces and if that happens, hard luck. If it doesn't then we'll take a view and if Ashley wants me to play then great.
“It's a little bit open-ended on the end of my playing career which I see as a positive thing."
Chapple’s period as skipper has been eventful. They thrillingly won Division One of the championship in 2011 but went down the next year.
They came back up as champions in 2013 but this term finished second from bottom in the top flight.
"This summer was a steep learning curve; I had to deal with a lot but I really enjoyed it,” Chapple, a level four qualified coach, explained.
“I enjoyed the added pressure and I felt that I came out of it all right. People are telling me you'll need to sleep for a month but that's not happened. I feel okay!
“I'm just looking forward to getting into coaching properly now because when you are a captain and playing there were things that came along with the job which I just couldn't do.
“At intervals in four-day games I just couldn't do what was needed. I had help and I had good help.
“If we would have been playing better as a team there was a chance. As a team we struggled and the job became obviously a tough one to do. But I'm just looking forward to getting into this job and I see it as a great opportunity."
Giles, who led Warwickshire to championship glory in 2012, added: "It's really exciting to have Chappy on board alongside me.
“He's the heart and soul of this club that we need to really build back into this club, this team.
“His experience here is going to be hugely invaluable to me. But, as he says, if we need to play Chappy we'll get him out there.
“It's important for us to start building a team for the future as well. That does help having senior players around that you can expose younger players to but this has to be a long-term plan not a quick fix."