Australian legend Shane Warne, the man who famously remarked during his playing days that the only use for a coach in cricket was to take the team to and from the ground, has expressed interest in taking on the job with England.
With the old enemy searching for a new coach after Chris Silverwood was axed after a disastrous 4-0 Ashes tour of Australia, the champion leg-spinner told the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast he’d be up for the challenge of turning England’s dire recent red-ball form around.
“I think I’d do a pretty good job… I’d like to do it,” Warne remarked, when asked by host Nasser Hussain whether he’d be capable of taking on the job.
“I think there’s a lot to work with, but I wouldn’t be called the coach; I think I’d be called team manager.”
Despite a horror tour of Australia, Warne believes there is ‘a lot to work with’ within the England set-up – if they can get the fundamentals back on track.
“There’s so many good players in England, you’ve got a lot of depth – you’ve just got to get some of the basics right,” Warne said.
“Your catching, you can’t bowl no-balls and drop so many catches.
“You’ve got the players, they’re just not performing.”
Warne currently coaches London Spirit in England’s limited-overs competition The Hundred, while he has worked as a spin-bowling consultant for a number of teams around the world, including for Australia.
For him, the key to being a successful coach lies in one thing – honesty.
“You’ve got to be honest with the players,” he said.
“It’s like when you leave a player out, you don’t say ‘team balance’ or ‘we’re just going with this team for these conditions’.
“You say why you’re being left out, there’s a reason you’re left out.
“All the players might not like what they hear, but they’ll respect you for being honest with them.”
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Warne has become famous for several controversial calls on team selection in the media. His criticism of Mitchell Starc has become infamous, while he has famously called for limited-overs all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and Tasmanian fast bowler Riley Meredith, among others, to receive Test opportunities for Australia.
The same goes for England, with Warne pushing hard for T20 all-rounder Liam Livingstone to become a regular in all formats.
“I think he has a role to play in red-ball cricket and that he is worth a try in the middle order,” Warne said.
“He bowls some pretty handy leg-spin as well. A bit of wrist-spin when the bowlers are tired, he would be pretty dangerous.”
Warne also endorsed former Australian coach Justin Langer as an ideal candidate for England, after his acrimonious departure from the Aussie job.
The Western Australian has already been heavily linked to the job, with former captains Hussain and Michael Vaughan giving their blessing and current director of cricket Andrew Strauss admitting he was well and truly in the frame.
“If I was England, I’d be jumping at him,” Warne said of Langer.
Warne was a vocal critic of Cricket Australia and the players’ role in the 51-year old’s ousting, describing his exit as ‘a disgrace’.
“I thought was really poor from Cricket Australia,” Warne said on Fox Cricket in early February.
“The way it was handled, I thought was a disgrace.
“I don’t know if it was the right decision. I’m not sure how it got to that.”
England are in the midst of preparations for their upcoming three-Test series against the West Indies in the Caribbean, with former player Paul Collingwood filling in as interim coach.
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
I don't get why Warne be a bad coach? Has he tried and failed before? He's being written off for being a loud mouth, opinionated and vein human.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Better suited as a marriage counseller or relationship advisor.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
“You have to be honest with the players”. “Can’t bowl can’t throw”. Blame Joe the cameraman. Caught with an illicit substance. “It’s my mum’s fault”
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Tactically one of the better minds in Australian cricket. One of the worst commentators. If he could stop the white noise with players they might get some value from his instruction, but it's a big IF! He seems more suited to one on one spin coaching at best.
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
I think he’d go well (for awhile), it’d all end in drama and media going nuts cause of ‘different personalities’ or Warne ‘advising’ a player on something that didn’t go down well or hurt feelings. It’d burn very brightly for a short time, with a spectacular crash that happens fast. Lol
Pierro
Roar Rookie
was pretty near perfect captaining Aus in it's one day matches . hed probably win england an ashes on home soil
Jero
Roar Rookie
Warnie has many attributes and transferable skills. He’d also make a great marriage celebrant.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I reckon it'd be a great move. I actually think it's his way of poking Aussie cricket in the eye. Then, a few years later, taking on the role of coaching Australia. It'd spice up the Ashes for sure. I've always admired Botham, Petersen and Flintoff for being honorary Aussies. If he could inspire the English to leave their constipations back in their muddy hole all the better.
JGK
Roar Guru
He’s a cricket savant.
John66
Roar Rookie
He'd need one just to carry his ego around, let alone the players.
GD
Roar Rookie
Actually, that's of some interest. Aussies are prone to write people off at face value, but the fact remains when he's not metaphorically smashing a pizza etc in commentary, he has an acute cricket brain and has constantly reiterated what all bowlers and captains should think with every ball : how am l going to get him out ? I wonder at times whether the Warnie we see isn't an ego-inflated caricature of himself, like Sam Newman. I suspect beneath the facade remains a clever cricket mind, and if he wound his head in and nominated as England coach, we'd find out. Do it, son !
Brian Westlake
Roar Rookie
This will be like sitting back and watching MAFS. Car crash TV
JGK
Roar Guru
If this happens, it would be an interesting decision as to who has the most spectacular lack of self-awareness... Warney wanting to be coach of a national cricket side, or Peta Credlin last week complaining about an unelected billionaire (Mike Cannon-Brookes) using his money to influence Australian climate and energy policy.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Please please please please please please please please please let it happen. Maybe Warney is looking to renew his sponsorship with Hurley?
Tony Dargon
Roar Guru
Please do it Warnie. We could all do with a good laugh.
Marty
Roar Rookie
You couldn’t make this stuff up. Go Warnie!
Redcap
Roar Guru
Warnie would appoint Warnie. You could knock me over with a feather.
badmanners
Roar Rookie
Has anyone rung John Buchanan for his thoughts on this?
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Shane could drive that bus :thumbup:
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Steve Waugh was honest with Warne once regarding why he was being left out, and how did that go?