Former New Zealand assistant coach Trent Woodhill has backed Ross Taylor's story of not being taken seriously by the management when he was captain, saying Mike Hesson and company treated the batsman badly.

Taylor was stripped of the captaincy after the tour to Sri Lanka at the end of last year, but Woodhill says he was worried about the skipper as far back as the series against the West Indies, and that Taylor's assertion of a lack of support was correct.

After Taylor was demoted, the job handed over to Brendon McCullum, he took a break from the game and withdrew from the series against South Africa. He is back in the side now though, playing against England.

Woodhill told Sydney Morning Herald: "During the West Indies tour I was really frustrated with the way Ross Taylor was being treated, not by anyone other than the manager and a few of the senior players who weren't giving him the support that he needed.

"I don't think it was ever about Ross and Brendon. It was always about management. To me, Brendon should want to captain his country and I was all for a split captaincy, but it's just the way it was done [that was the problem].

"After the World Twenty20 I closed the book on New Zealand, but the way Ross was treated and is being treated I just feel bitter towards their treating [of] one of the best human beings I've ever met.

"Ross Taylor is literally the nicest guy you could ever meet and the most respectful and down to earth, and the way they treated him [was unfathomable]."

Woodhill, who will be involved with Delhi in the IPL, went on to say he wasn't considered for the top coaching job as he's Australian, and the NZC wanted a local for the job, which is why Hesson got it.

He said: "The New Zealanders didn't want a foreigner. They had issues with [former Australian coach and director of cricket] John Buchanan - he was ostracised, and still is - and the manager, players' association rep and new CEO [David White] all just wanted a Kiwi in there."