Warne dismisses England link

Australia spinner not currently interested in replacing Moores

Last updated: 9th January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Warne dismisses England link

Warne: Not interested in the England at the moment

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Australian spin king Shane Warne has insisted that he is not interested in becoming the new coach of the England team - despite receiving an approach from Kevin Pietersen.

Warne's name has been reported to be among those in the frame to replace Peter Moores, who was sacked in the aftermath of his fall-out with Pietersen.

Pietersen also resigned from his position as captain following his clashes with the coach and the ECB, but not before sounding out his former Hampshire team-mate about potentially replacing Moores.

However in his column in The Times, Warne, who coaches the IPL side the Rajasthan Royals, claims that he is not the man for the job.

"Whenever a coach or captain makes way, you see those little panels in newspapers listing four or five contenders for the vacant job," Warne wrote in newspaper.

"Yes, KP dipped his toe in the water jokingly, but usually the names put forward come from a mix of informed speculation and sheer guesswork. According to some reports, I am in the frame to follow Peter Moores. This is a good opportunity to set the record straight.

Safe

"At this stage, I have a full book. I have enjoyed coaching and managing the Rajasthan Royals, but that is for a couple of months a year. I could not give a full-time position the time required to do the job properly. In any case, following a team around the world is what I have given up.

"If that is what I wanted, I would still be a player. But - and we all have this 'but' in life - if an offer comes that sounds too good to be true, I would have to stop and think."

With Pietersen quitting as captain, England have turned to Andrew Strauss to lead the side - however Warne believes the ECB have missed a trick by not appointing Kent skipper Rob Key.

Warne said: "Andrew Strauss is a safe bet. I always think of him as more of a vice-captain than a No.1, a great sounding-board and a very solid, loyal bloke.

"My choice - if KP really had to go - would have been Rob Key, of Kent. I think Key is unluckly not to have played more for England and I would have put him in charge for all three formats. He has flair and imagination, a good temperament and is well liked within the game."