Andrew Flintoff As Next England Coach? Lions Boss Says 'Baz Is Incredible...'
Andrew Flintoff isn't interested in replacing Brendon McCullum as England's head coach but rather praised Brendon McCullum's impact.
Andrew Flintoff has expressed no interest in succeeding Brendon McCullum as England's head coach, despite gaining experience with the England Lions. The former England captain has been coaching the Lions and the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred after recovering from a car crash while filming for BBC's Top Gear, which left him with severe facial and rib injuries.
Flintoff's positive influence on the Lions has led to speculation about him potentially stepping into the top coaching role, particularly if McCullum decides not to extend his contract, which runs until the 2027 World Cup and covers all three formats of the game.
Flintoff dismissed these suggestions, praising McCullum's impact and comparing it to Gareth Southgate's influence on the England football team from 2016 to 2024. Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Flintoff stated
'It's not something I'm looking at, Baz McCullum is incredible –- the best England coach.
'He's unbelievable and the culture he's created is incredible. It's similar to what Gareth Southgate did with the football lads; they are not just good players but great lads as well.
'I'm enjoying working under Keysy (England managing director of men's cricket Rob Key), it's no secret he's one of my best mates and he's helped me so much in other things. With Baz, we've got a great relationship and the utmost respect."
What Is Flintoff's Future With England Lions?
Flintoff first joined the England white-ball head coach Matthew Mott's staff on an ad-hoc basis in September 2023, though he did not travel to that year's World Cup in India. However, he was part of the team at the previous year's T20 World Cup, where England's semi-final exit led to Mott's dismissal.
In his first season with the Superchargers, Flintoff led the team close to the knockout stages, a significant improvement from their previous bottom-of-the-standings finish. He also managed the Lions during a tour of Australia last winter and recently oversaw two unofficial Test draws against India A.
'Honestly, at the moment, I feel as though I'm in the perfect place working with the Lions. I don't see this as a stepping stone to anything else, I'm invested in this and get a chance to work with these lads," added the 47-year-old.
'I'm not looking at the franchise world or anything else, although I do the Northern Superchargers which came around last year and I enjoy working with (Superchargers captain) Harry Brook on that.
'I think 'I've got a job to do here' and it's not like 'what's next?'."
(With inputs from AFP)
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