Andy Flower...considering his future?

[theegyptian]

Sure I've suggested cutting counties in the past but it just isn't feasible. Short of a county going bust (and even in this situation the ECB will step in) nobody will ever agree on dropping a few counties. Too much prestige and history ingrained in the society. Just simply mentioning it gets hatemail from county members and english cricket fans.

Even with bigger squads and better competition for places there still would be too much cricket if you had the same number of games. They go from format to format with no breaks. 4 day game followed next day by 40 over followed 2 days later by 4 day game followed by random university or tour game. T20 quarter final the day after four day game finishes. Same with the yb40 last year. Teams scheduled to play 17 days of cricket in April when conditions outside are still cold and wet and in no way conducive to good cricket.

 

[Spikey]

wonder when the push for a return to the old overseas players rules really starts. at a certain point, i would have thought it's better andrew mcdonald plays than some 19yo who the team is only playing for the money.....

 

[theegyptian]

We've gone off away from the real debate because of me here.

It sounds like I'm blaming the whole defeat on county cricket here. I don't and i'm sorry it sounds that way.

Australia were excellent. England's team at the start of the series was experienced and had proven international quality (even with the third seamer, 6th batsmen position open as it had been for a couple of years). They should have done better and that's no fault of county cricket. Should Flower be culpable for the defeat? Well I guess to a degree- As culpable as he was for the victories during his career. Should the players? yes of course.

Will replacing Flower make a meaningfull improvement? Well maybe and as suggested in this thread you can say coaches have a shelf life and after a while it becomes stale and you have to move on regardless of how good the coach is because the players stop listening. Personally at the end of the day I feel they'd be better looking more at county cricket and making structural changes to improve that competition. There needs to be a holistic approach rather than simply changing the coach of the national team and hoping everything gets better.

You do have to have the debate over whether county cricket is producing enough good players when Dernbach and Rankin and Bresnan and Bairstow are selected and selected again.

 

[fredfertang]

Yet nothing has really changed in the county game since Justin Langer was singing its praises a few years ago. I think there's a lot to be said not cosseting those on central contracts like they're all as brittle as Shaun Tait - they should play a bit less international cricket and rather more with their counties - its difficult to blame them for playing and behaving like a bunch of prima donnas when they're treated like one

 

[flibbertyjibber]

- its difficult to blame them for playing and behaving like a bunch of prima donnas when they're treated like one

Who can you mean?????

 

[BoyBrumby]

In terms of a replacement, I can't help but think Gilo, good man as he is, probably has too much of the stench of this defeat on him for him to be a viable new broom.

I'm not convinced Kirsten would really be interested unless the ECB dump a wheelbarrow full of money at his feet, given he gave away his coaching his own country to spend more time with his family, Newell has well documented previous with KP, Dizzy has ruled himself out, Collingwood next to no experience so all signs seem to point to Tom Moody, IMHO.

Has a lot to recommend him; played lots of cricket over here, is married to an English lass and would probably be less of a micro manager than Flower.

 

[GIMH]

Warne is thinking about it apparently

 

[Spikey]

please hire warne

 

[Spikey]

cant wait

Dean Jones ‏@ProfDeano 35m
Look out for my article tomorrow in @theagesport on why Paul Downton of ECB should appoint @warne888 as England cricket new manager/coach

 

[Jono]

Deanoooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[benchmark00]

How many times will the words 'positive' or 'aggressive' be used?

Four for mine,

 

[benchmark00]

And intent, can't forget intent.

 

[Spikey]

How many times will the words 'positive' or 'aggressive' be used?

Four for mine,

First thing I thought of was "Fun". he'll bring the fun back.

 

[benchmark00]

Comparisons to Lehmann?

 

[dermo]

he'll bring in the expertise of legends like botham

 

[dermo]

his relationship with KP

 

[Tangles]

Why would Warne want this? Not hurting for cash and it would interrupt his media work.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Shills himself for hairloss clinics, so guessing he's not as flush as all that, cash wise.

ECB pay well, but it won't happen.

 

[wiff]

Why would Warne want this? Not hurting for cash and it would interrupt his media work.

Because he's a egomaniac? He'll show positiveness, aggression and intent. Of course England will lose some games before they can win.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Well Giles took Warwickshire from the second division to champions of the first division in his 5 years as director of cricket at warwickshire. So yes a little more track record than Collingwood who has a month as head coach as experience.

Colly took a team that was odds on for relegation and had them win some insane ratio of games, winning County Champions the next season with a number of bold moves that paid off. Collingwood also led England to a limited overs trophy.

England's head coach role is more about management decisions, game plans, psychology than technical stuff.