Not that he had a problem with Marsh, not a bit of it, just that it was better to listen to men like Allan Border and Mark Waugh who have played here, and who speak highly of county cricket, rather than those who have not.
This is Gilbert's 10th English summer in the last 15 - he was here last year as manager of the Australia A team - so he regards it as home. He is married to an English woman who said her husband would never live here because of the bitter winters. Her husband told her she was talking nonsense and then apologised when on his first morning at the Oval office last February he was submerged by snow.
Gilbert played in nine Test matches in the middle Eighties, during which time David Gower and Graham Gooch ``smashed me all over the place on a shirtfront at the Oval'' he says. His whippy fast bowling was easy to underestimate but awkward to play and his deadly, skidding bouncer made him some handful on the quicker pitches of Australia.
Gooch, the selector, was at Guildford on Wednesday, and spent the morning chatting with Gilbert. There was plenty to chat about as a bunch of Surrey players are in the England frame.
Mark Butcher is knocking on Alec Stewart's door, for example, and Adam Hollioake is whispered in the breath of Ronnie Irani and Mark Ealham. Graham Thorpe and Ali Brown waited in pads and Chris Lewis cruised in shades.
The first thing Gilbert did when he arrived was knock down the wall which separated the capped and uncapped players' dressing rooms.
``Last week,'' says Gilbert, ``in the NatWest game at Edgbaston, showed what we could achieve. Things didn't go for us, lost the toss, tricky conditions to bat, experienced side to turn the screw against us, yet we gave a consummate team performance. It was a tremendous thrill to win so well but then driving home I thought, hang on, we've got seven internationals in this team and two more who are close, so there's no reason why we shouldn't play so well all the time.''
Gilbert was seduced away from his job with Queensland cricket by the challenge of making something of Surrey's underachievers. The club was a shambles last year, on and off the field, and the membership uprising motivated a clear-out. ``Contrary to Surrey's reputation of disharmony, I've had terrific support from everyone. There have been some demons to exorcise, and I don't mean the legacy of the glory teams of the Fifties, rather the inconsistency and unhappiness of recent years and, of course, the collapse of the season which usually happens about now. The boys tell me Guildford hasn't brought them much joy.''
Which is right because Surrey's promising starts have invariably fallen foul of dressing-room blues brought about by injuries to bowlers, a lack of self-control among the crash, bang, wallop batsmen and the fragility against spin brought about by drying pitches.
``We've looked to plan for each match as far as is possible in the rush of the English season. I believe you have to think cricket and be prepared for self-analysis in order to get the best from yourself.
``Though I came with an open mind, I was surprised that the players were frightened to express themselves. If you can't tap into, and share, the vast experience of players like the Bicknell brothers something is wrong.''
To a man the Surrey players say the atmosphere in the dressing room is ``better than anyone can remember''.
The first thing Gilbert did when he arrived was knock down the wall which separated the capped and uncapped players' dressing rooms. ``It was important to knit everyone together, to make sure they enjoyed themselves. Players should turn up in the morning as if they were meeting a mate in the pub and then it's my job to make sure that preparation for play which follows is stimulating.''
Gilbert is 35, which is young to run a team, but he is convinced it helps him to impart his own philosophies on their approach. ``We have a history here. I think of Surrey as the blue blood of English cricket. You know Hobbs, the Bedsers, Barrington and May. The boys should be honoured and proud to wear the cap and so we suggested no baseball hats for championship cricket and they jumped at the idea.''
To a man the Surrey players say the atmosphere in the dressing room is ``better than anyone can remember''. They are aware that they have won nothing yet and that they need to be taken as seriously away from home as they are at the Oval. Having said that, they head the Sunday League table, are in the quarter-final of the NatWest Trophy and are fourth in the championship so should be in the shake-up come September.
As Gilbert says: ``It's all a self-belief thing, you've got to know how to win and I think we're getting there. What I can tell you is that it's time the dues of Surrey's great tradition were paid.'' The county may have found just the man to ensure that they are.