Rob Key has backed England Lions coach Andrew Flintoff following “disrespectful” criticism, calling him an “unsung hero” and defending the ECB’s decision to allow him to leave an upcoming tour to South Africa early to coach in the Big Bash as well.
Notably, Flintoff returned to professional cricket three years ago after recovering from serious injuries sustained in a car crash while filming the TV show Top Gear as well. He initially worked with England’s white-ball teams in an informal consultant role and then he was appointed head coach of the Lions – England’s A team – in September 2024. He has also coached Northern Superchargers in the men’s Hundred.
“I saw something I thought was unfair, actually, on Andrew Flintoff, where it said he shouldn’t have been doing that Lions job because he’s not doing this job now, the England head coach’s job,” Key said. “I think that’s done a complete disservice to one of our greatest cricketers who, for the last three [sic] years, has done that Lions job when he could have done a hell of a lot of other things, earning a lot more money.”
“But his passion [is] to actually try and bring the next generation through, and people like Sonny Baker, Mitch Stanley… so many of these players have come under his wing. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have him do it. I thought it was disrespectful for people to say that he shouldn’t have been doing it. He’s been outstanding in that job, and we’ve been incredibly fortunate to have him,” he again added.
Rob Key also added that he saw no reason why the Lions coach had to be a contender for the main job as well, though said that Flintoff would become one in time as well.
“It has never been [the case] that the Lions coach goes into being the head coach of England,” he said. “It probably happened with Peter Moores [in 2007]. That was it. He’ll get the chance to Sydney Thunder to go and get more head coach experience, which I think he needs, because he is three [sic] years into being head coach of a Lions programme. He needs to go off and spend some time [elsewhere].”
“It [the Test vacancy] just came too soon, but he should be someone that goes on to become an outstanding head coach. When you talk about who could be the best person, Andrew Flintoff – in the future, with a bit more experience under him – could do it, and him not being there at times in the Lions gives opportunity for other coaches, and it’s for us to choose who comes in to do that,” he further added.
“I think he’s an unsung hero. A lot of these young players that are coming through, you think how hard it is when they’ve got T10s, T20s, ILT20, SA20. We’ve got to go to a player and say, ‘We want you to come and commit to a red-ball tour of Australia, we want you to come and play 50-over cricket in Abu Dhabi’. Having Andrew Flintoff there has made a massive, massive difference in being able to do that, and I think he deserves the respect and the thanks for doing it,” he shared again.
However, England will name a squad for the three-match Test series – which starts at Headingley on August 19 – late next week, and Stephen Fleming is likely to have some input in selection as well. Key also said that he had considered his own position as managing director in recent months.
“This is a job where you’re constantly under pressure, all the time. There’s uncertainty in it all the time. That’s part of being in this role. How close I came [to being sacked], I don’t know; how close I came myself [to resigning], what I was thinking, I obviously know. But it’s been a good few months – and even before that – where you’re constantly thinking about: are you the right person? What is the thing you’ve got to do? Are you the person to put that in place? I believe I am, but that’s for the people above me to decide all the time… I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t,” Rob Key concluded.
