COLLY: I’LL GET OVER WOBBLE
Paul’s keen on permanent job
PAUL COLLINGWOOD has thrown his hat into the ring to be England’s full-time head coach.
The interim boss is waiting to discover who will be the new managing director, but hopes to be in the frame for the coaching job despite overseeing a 1-0 defeat in the West Indies Test series.
He would follow a similar path to Andy Flower, below, who took charge for a Caribbean tour in 2009 following Peter Moores’ sacking.
Flower also presided over a 1-0 loss that included being skittled for 51 in Jamaica, but was still able to show he had made a difference to the rebuilding job along with skipper Andrew Strauss as England subsequently rose to world No.1.
Even though Collingwood has admitted to nerves at taking the interim job, he believes he has what it takes to be the long-term choice.
“I’ve enjoyed it more than I thought,” he said. “I was a bit anxious and nervous. I’ve had experiences before with the Covid fixtures but this felt different – a lot different. I haven’t got much experience as a head coach but you would never get a job if that’s the case. They’ve seen what I can do so if they want us they know where I am. “I feel as though what I’ve done over the last few weeks is a good start, but it’s only a start.
“If I was to take this team forward, I’d want to make them a lot better as quickly as possible.
“It was always my challenge to leave this team in a better place and I personally feel as though it’s a lot stronger now than when I first picked the team up.
“I just feel what we did in these three weeks in terms of realignment, not just the team but the management as well, it felt very together.” Collingwood might not have much experience as a head coach, but then neither did Flower when he took over.
And the former England batsman has taken a leaf out of Flower’s book when it comes to dealing with the disappointment of defeat and how to man-manage his players when things have gone wrong – and it does not involve the hairdryer treatment.
“When we lost in 2009, we got in a room and talked,” he said. “Andy might have an image of being tough but all we did was get in a room and communicate.
“We might have direct conversations and things that might feel uncomfortable but it wasn’t getting them in a room and giving a b ********* .”
Collingwood, 45, also has fears when it comes to the schedule for England over the next 12 months, with a backlog of games to be played.
“We’re playing Covid catch-up,” he said.
“Players are putting their bodies on the line and they’ll break physically and emotionally. So, we have got to be careful because that fixture list moving forward is
horrific.”