I've plenty to offer, says Fletcher by AFP

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Event:

ICC World Cup 2006/07

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DateLine: 23rd April 2007

 

Former England coach Duncan Fletcher believes he still has plenty to offer despite the World Cup disappointment.

 

Fletcher resigned after eight years in charge following the team's failure to reach the World Cup semi-finals and has since been replaced by Peter Moores, the head of the England national academy.

 

"I still thought I had a lot to offer, but there'll be other things out there. I'm sure there will be," the 58-year-old Fletcher told Sky Sports.

 

"I want to coach. I enjoy coaching. There's no way I'm falling short of ideas. I still think my ideas should have been implemented and could be implemented, but you can't implement them overnight. It takes time.

 

"I need a break for probably a month, but it was an honour coaching England. I think it is the best job in world cricket at the moment."

 

Fletcher guided England to number two in the world in the Test rankings but was unable to find a consistent winning formula in one day cricket.

 

He was already under pressure heading into the Caribbean after the 5-0 Ashes drubbing in Australia.

 

"When I got the England job not many people wanted it, now everyone's clamouring for it so that's probably a good indication of how I've done," added Fletcher.

 

"We created such high expectations in the Test arena, but we weren't able to have a parallel in the one-day side, but there were good reasons for that.

 

"We were more consistent in Test match cricket because I think we managed to keep the side longer together."

 

He also hinted at unreasonable and unfair expectations on his team.

 

"Australia went to New Zealand (where they lost three times in the Chappell-Hadlee series) and they only lost because they were missing three key players.

 

"We go to Australia for the Test series with three or four missing and suddenly it's not a reason it's an excuse. As soon as you disrupt sides you have a problem and it takes time to regroup. We were in a rebuilding phase."

 

Fletcher also voiced his support for captain Michael Vaughan who finally found some form in Saturday's one-wicket win over the West Indies, the team's last match of the World Cup.

 

Vaughan took 3-39 and then hit 79 for comfortably his best performance of a wretched tournament.

 

"Vaughan showed all his skills as a batter, bowler and as a captain against West Indies and it's just a pity that it's taken a little bit long," said Fletcher.

 

"There was huge pressure on him to come back. To go in there - with the pressure that he hadn't made runs - to go in there and try to get that elusive hundred under his belt, he showed true quality as a batter when he frees himself up."

 

Fletcher believes Moores is a wise selection to take over from where he left off.

 

"I think he's very good, he's got some good ideas. I've had a chat to him. I think he'll do a very good job.

 

"I think the foundations are there. If you look around we're the youngest side in Test cricket in caps. There's a lot of inexperience there and we've shown the way we can play on a few occasions we just haven't proved it on a consistent basis."

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)