Grayson - Flower can bloom

Essex coach gives former team-mate his backing to lead England

Last updated: 8th January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Grayson - Flower can bloom

Flower: Tipped to take key role

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Paul Grayson has insisted Andy Flower is the ideal man to lead England in the aftermath of the fiasco regarding the departures of Peter Moores and Kevin Pietersen.

Moores was sacked as coach on Wednesday while Pietersen resigned as captain as the pair paid the price for their public fallout.

Former Zimbabwean captain Flower was appointed as an assistant coach by Moores - and is now the favourite to take over for the tour to the Caribbean.

And Essex coach Grayson, who played alongside Flower at the Eagles, believes the former ICC Cricketer of the Year has all the right attributes to lead England forward.

"Andy is very thoughtful and a deep thinker about the game," Grayson told The Daily Telegraph.

"He's not very vocal but when he does speak, players listen to him. He commands respect.

"It might not appear a good time to be coming in as England coach, but I'm sure that Andy will see it as a challenge and the opportunity to stay for the long term if he does a good job in the West Indies.

"The way things have gone in the last week, they can't get any lower so it can only get better and Andy will receive the support of the England dressing room."