The candidates to be England's next coach

Ashley Giles

Considered by many to be the overwhelming favourite for the job despite indifferent results, at best, as England’s limited overs coach. Giles is very much a man in the current ECB/Andy Flower mould; he is a scientific thinker of the game and appears to privilege statistics and analysis over flamboyance and unpredictability.

He would be the safe choice for the ECB for a number of reasons; Giles is a disciple of Flower and would provide the side with continuity. However, is continuity really what England requires after such a disastrous winter?

Giles gained the limited overs job on the back of success with Warwickshire in winning the County Championship in 2012, and he proved himself to be a very astute leader with the respect of many involved in the English game. His reputation has, unfortunately for him, taken an absolute battering over the last six months.

Abysmal showings in the one day games after the winter Ashes tour coupled with an apathetic performance at the World T20 ending in defeat to the Netherlands has tarnished his image. In truth, the average English cricket fans desire for Giles to be given the top job is now almost non-existent.

Despite all of these apparently obvious flaws, many still see Giles to be the leading candidate; he appears to have the respect of Test captain Alastair Cook and is well liked within the establishment. Although I don’t think appointing Giles would be disastrous, I just feel that what English cricket needs is a clean break and a step away from the conservative analysis driven Flower regime of the past five years.

Peter Moores

A man who has already had one crack at the top job in English cricket, Moores previous reign as head coach lasted just two years and ended acrimoniously after a very public falling out with then skipper Kevin Pietersen. Moores failed to beat India twice and also lost to South Africa at home during his time as coach and results in general, particularly in the test arena, were nothing to write home about.

He can however be given credit for the changing of the guard in England’s pace bowling attack, electing to leave out Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard in favour of James Anderson and Stuart Broad on the tour of New Zealand in 2008. This effectively signalled the end of both Hoggard’s and Harmsion’s careers and was the beginnings of the pace attack that would win three consecutive Ashes series under Flower.

Since his public departure from the England role, Moores has gone about successfully rebuilding his reputation at Lancashire. He has overseen an historic Championship title win in 2011 and a promotion in 2013. Of course, it must be mentioned that his side were also relegated in between, but on the whole, the overwhelming opinion is that Moores has done a superb job at Old Trafford and would be much better placed to make a better fist of the job, if England came calling once again.