Andy Flower rules out England Test coaching job to stay at RCB
Flower declines the position to continue his successful franchise coaching roles, citing happiness with his current setup
Andy Flower has ruled himself out of the running to become England’s new Test head coach after Brendon McCullum was recently relieved from the role, opting instead to continue coaching Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL and London Spirit in The Hundred.
Although he held discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) managing director Rob Key, Flower declined the position to continue his successful franchise coaching roles, citing happiness with his current setup.
Flower, who successfully guided England from 2009 to 2014, was the primary contender to replace McCullum. However, he confirmed at a media day for London Spirit that he is not interested in leaving his current commitments.
Asked if he had ruled himself out, he said: “I have, yes.” “I have spoken to the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board). I am aware of the head coach vacancy of the England national team,” added Flower.
“I have spoken with (managing director of men’s cricket) Rob (Key) at the ECB on that topic. The bottom line for me is I’m very happy in the work that I’m doing at the moment.”
“I work for a couple of really good organisations, with really good teams around me and I’m really comfortable with what I’m doing at the moment.”
He stated that it is difficult to balance the IPL with an international Test role, given that the tournament overlaps with the first few months of the English cricket summer.
“For me, personally, I don’t think I could have both, especially with the IPL being held in the first couple of months of the English summer,” he said.
“I’ve worked with England before and I had an amazing time. I had the privilege to be England head coach and represent England a number of years ago and I remember those years really fondly.”
“It would be a privilege for me or anyone else to be the Test coach. For me at this time, I’m really comfortable with what I’m doing and I’m going to stick with doing that.”
Flower took England to the world No. 1 ranking and won the Ashes three times while he was their head coach in the past.
But the Zimbabwean is now managing London Spirit in the Hundred — having replaced Langer in that role — as well as coaching Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with whom he won the Indian Premier League in May.
The ECB is currently in the initial stage of identifying candidates to succeed McCullum, but have not ruled out an interim coach being named for the series against Pakistan in August.
