Giles has sympathy for axed Moores

ASHLEY Giles has expressed his sympathy for sacked England coach Peter Moores – and invited the former Red Rose boss to Emirates Old Trafford for a beer.

Moores, Lancashire’s Championship-winning coach in 2011, was sacked by England for the second time in his career on Saturday, with the ECB coming under fire for the way they handled the situation.

Not only was the 52-year-old from Macclesfield only given 13 months in his second stint in charge, his sacking was reported in the media on Friday before he had been told and while he was still on duty in Ireland.

Ironically, Moores beat Giles – who had been England’s one-day coach – to the post last April, and then Giles replaced Moores when he left Emirates Old Trafford.

“All of us as coaches would have sympathy for Pete,” said Giles, who has committed himself to Lancashire in the wake of suggestions he may be a candidate to replace Moores.

“It’s been a horrible situation for him. It must have been a really tough few months on the back of the World Cup.

“You just wish it could have been handled better, but these things seem to have a way of leaking out, and it’s not particularly healthy. I wish Pete all the best in whatever happens from here. I hope we will see him down here soon to see the lads and sit down and have a beer.

“I haven’t seen my name mentioned that much, but I have got a role here,” added Giles about the England job. “I have been given a fantastic opportunity by the club, and I’m loving it. That’s got to be my focus. I can’t look anywhere else but here.”

Two Australians, Jason Gillespie and Justin Langer, are at the head of the queue to replace Moores, with Giles urging the ECB to give the new man time to turn England’s fortunes around.

“The one thing we need to get away from is this short-termism,” he added. “We need to get into a position where whoever does it will be backed for a period of time and we’ve got some stability.

‘‘I hope that whatever happens now, some stability is put in place.”