Andrew Flintoff says he would love to be England coach

Former English cricket player, Andrew Flintoff has said that he would “love” to be England cricket team coach one day.

Andrew Flintoff played 79 Tests for England before retiring from the sport in 2009.

41-year-old Flintoff, 41 who currently the presenter of BBC motoring show, Top Gear in a chat with Test Match Special said: “coaching is an ambition.”

England coach, Trevor Bayliss has announced that he will step down at the end of this summer’s Ashes series and his successor is yet to be appointed.

Flintoff who was part of the Ashes-winning sides in 2005 and 2009 revealed that he would probably like to two or three coaching jobs which are of England, Lancashire or Lancashire Academy.

After quitting the game in 2010, the former all-rounder went into boxing, having one professional bout before he returned to play Twenty20 cricket for Lancashire and Brisbane Heat in Australia’s Big Bash League in 2014.

After his retirement, Flintoff, who got involved in various television projects and made his stage debut in Fat Friends the Musical in 2017.

England and Australia are still locked in a battle of wit for the 4th Test Ashes which is holding in Old Trafford.

Speaking at day three if the event, Flintoff, noted that he didn’t intend to be involved in cricket broadcasting because of his love for the sport is “too much.”

Flintoff also revealed that he applied for the England head coach role in 2014, before Peter Moores’ year-long second tenure in charge.

While acknowledging that he likes to come and watch the games because he turns up with a sense of excitement added that a few years ago, he applied for the top role as the team was getting beat with the thought that  ‘I’m going to apply.’

He added that he wrote an email for the interview and got no response after a month.

Flintoff, who had a starring role in the 2005 Ashes can never be forgotten easily. He took 24 wickets and bowled in excess of 90mph, scoring 402 runs, helping England beat Australia 2-1 in what was referred to as one of the greatest ever Test series.

In order to be able to compete against current international players, the all-round bowler admitted that he would have to adapt to the current game plan.

Speaking of his playing career, Flintoff  said his kids were not sure he played the game when they were watching one of his clip; the 2005 highlights and they don’t think he ever played the game because they were looking at an overweight skinhead on the screen, asking, ‘Is that you?’

Speaking of his fond memories of the game, he said he remains thankful it happened as it was life-changing, “but I’m enjoying watching the lads play now – the game has moved on.

 

 

Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed