The British media are renowned for having their favourites when it comes to coaches of our national teams. Prior to the World Cup, Fabio Capello couldn’t be knocked by the press, given his success during England’s qualifying campaign. Similarly the press fell in love with former captain Martin Johnson, when he took over at Twickenham. So, why is it that former Zimbabwe cricketer Andy Flower continues to be ignored by pundits when he’s led England to a World T20 title and Ashes victory? Sport.co.uk investigates.
His record speaks for itself
Zimbabwean, Andy Flower took over as English cricket’s team director in April 2009, and since then he’s arguably been the national cricket team’s most successful coach in living memory. His record includes reclaiming the Ashes last summer, drawing a Test series in South Africa, before humbling the Proteas in a one-day series last winter. If that wasn’t enough the former wicket-keeper batsman helped England to clinch their maiden international tournament title in May. During the three weeks of the tournament, the three lions produced some of the finest Twenty20 cricket seen for many of year, overcoming South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the old enemy Australia on the road to becoming world champions. If that wasn’t enough, since Flower took over in April 2009, England have suffered a mere three Test defeats in 22 games.
Does any other national coach come close?
A certain Italian manager with thick rimmed glasses apparently earns more in a fortnight than Flower makes in a year. Yet it’s the former Zimbabwean international that has the upper hand over all other national coaches in this country when it comes to success. This isn’t just a bold statement with no foundation– Flower’s got the trophies to back it up. Neither Fabio Capello nor Martin Johnson have excelled as the heads of their national teams, with both being outmanoeuvred in the big games by their opposite numbers. One only has to look at the football side’s suicidal defending against Germany at the World Cup, and the rugby team’s disastrous six nations campaign where they failed to beat Scotland, struggled to overcome Italy, and were humbled by the French and Irish. The only other tactician in charge that comes close is Charles Van Commenee, the head of UK Athletics. He led Britain to an unprecedented 19 medals at the European Championships a fortnight ago.
Beating Australia is no longer a rarity
In the past, the names of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist were enough to send any England team (with the exception of 2005) into having sleepless nights. Since all three have retired from international cricket, the door of opportunity has opened for England. In the last series of every format of the game, England have comprehensively beaten the Aussies. After Craig Kieswetter and Kevin Pietersen condemned the Australians to the kind of soul-destroying defeats they were used to giving out, in the World T20 final, Flower suggested that the win signalled a shift in power. “The Ashes tour is six months away and every time we come up against Australia it does have some sort of shift in the balance of power.”
Flower’s ruthless streak
Historically English cricketers have often been stereotyped as polite, honest and traditionally old-fashioned compared to their rather rough, rugged and in-your-face Australian counterparts. Andrew Strauss last year lived up to that image in a Champions Trophy game when he recalled Sri Lankan Angelo Matthews, after the umpire gave him run out. Afterwards a livid Andy Flower blasted: “I’m absolutely serious, I would have sent the batsman on his way.”
The former Essex man’s hard-nosed attitude doesn’t end there, as he’s been particularly cut-throat when it comes to selection. For example, Monty Panesar hasn’t played a single Test match since his infamous dogged display with the bat against Australia at Cardiff. Similarly, Matt Prior’s been ousted from all limited-overs cricket, despite hardly putting a foot wrong. They say selectors live and die by their decisions, in these cases Flower and the rest of the selection panel have been proven right, as the performances of Graeme Swann and Craig Kieswetter have shown.
Final word
Last December, Capello pipped Flower to BBC’s coach of the year award. Almost a year later and there’s no doubt that English cricket’s team director has seen his reputation go from strength to strength, as the Italian’s has waned. Only a disastrous winter in Australia can prevent the Zimbabwean from picking up the award, and receiving the long overdue recognition he deserves.