Darren Gough talks coaching, Trevor Bayliss and the Curran brothers
Sunday 16 August 2015 16:40, UK
Fast bowler, Strictly Come Dancing champion, radio presenter, best man at Kevin Pietersen's wedding - Darren Gough has many strings to his bow.
The former England man could soon be adding cricket coach as he is primed to complete the necessary qualifications early next year.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Gough refused to rule out a head coach role, admitting that travelling the world for "a sport I love" has great appeal.
"Being a fast bowler and bowling yorkers liked I used to, I get asked to get involved quite a bit," said Gough. "The ECB have spoken to me a few times about working with the younger bowlers.
I am looking to get into coaching some point, whether that's just dipping in my toes or something more.
"I am doing my coaching awards - I'm onto the last one now, level three - and by the end of the winter, I'll be fully qualified to coach at any level.
"I've got an opportunity to work in a different country early next year which I'll probably take and you never say never doing coaching, although it may be a long way down the line.
"The job has its pressures but it’s still a terrific lifestyle in a sport you love.
"It's pretty hard when you have a daily job as well [Gough co-presents a daily afternoon show on national radio], but I am looking to get into coaching some point, whether that's just dipping in my toes or something more."
And what sort of coach would Gough be?
"The worst thing for me as a player was when I looked to the sidelines after I'd bowled a bad ball was seeing the coach writing something down," said the Yorkshireman. "It immediately gave me a negative reaction in my head.
"So I'd like to think I'd be like Paul Farbrace, who, if you remember in England's one-day series against New Zealand recently, was always sat there with a smile on his face.
"I'd hope to be totally relaxed and create a positive atmosphere around the camp, rather than a guy who is too methodical, always has a pen and paper, and writes down every wide and wicket."
Farbrace manned the tiller for England against the Black Caps before handing over to Trevor Bayliss and slotting back into his assistant's berth ahead of The Ashes.
New South Wales-born Bayliss made an immediate impact, steering his new charges to a fourth successive win over Australia on home soil, England sealing the urn with a thumping fourth Test win at Trent Bridge inside three days.
Gough says he admires Bayliss' hands-off approach to the job.
"Bayliss reminds me of Duncan Fletcher, if slightly more relaxed," he said of a man with coaching stints at Sri Lanka, Kolkata Knight Riders and Sydney Sixers on his resume.
"He has come in and watched how people train and how each individual works and then gone to them when he feels it's the right time.
He has come in and watched how people train and how each individual works and then gone to them when he feels it's the right time.
"I am a proud Englishman and I would have preferred the coach of England to be English but Trevor has a tremendous CV so you cannot question him. As long as England do well, I'm not fussed where the coach comes from."
Whatever Bayliss said to Stuart Broad in the build-up to the fourth Test, it certainly worked.
Broad destroyed the Baggy Greens' batting order in Nottingham, claiming staggering figures of 8-15 from 9.3 overs as the tourists were skittled for 60 before lunch had been served.
The 29-year-old wrapped up his five-for in just 19 balls, removing Chris Rogers and Steve Smith in his first over and then sending Shaun Marsh, Adam Voges and Michael Clarke packing.
"Stuart has always been an amazing character and so important for England," said Gough. "Jimmy [James Anderson] has that control but Stuart is our strike bowler, our wicket taker, someone who can knock over the best players in the world, even when the going is flat.
"When he's hot, he's very hot and his performance at Trent Bridge was as good as I've seen.
"People look too much at his speed at times, always wanting him to bowl fast, and I think that can get into his head but if he pitches it up he will take loads of wickets.
"Australia's batsmen will tell you that!"
The Ashes - Live
Broad will lead England's pace unit once again in the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval if Anderson fails to recover from the side strain that kept him out of the end of the third and the whole of the fourth Test matches with Australia.
The Nottinghamshire seamer should have Mark Wood and Ben Stokes for company in south London but Gough reckons that a pair of brothers who know the Surrey track extremely well, Tom and Sam Curran, could star in England's attack in the future.
"England's bowling is very strong at the moment," added Gough. "You've got Mark Footitt, Liam Plunkett and Jamie Overton in reserve but I am also really excited about the Currans at Surrey.
"The youngest one, Sam, is just 17 and played against my lad last year in Surrey Under-17s versus Buckinghamshire Under-17s - a game my lad got runs in!
"So to see him go from that to playing for the Surrey first team and bowling with the accuracy and the maturity of a 22 or 23-year-old is brilliant.
"I love seeing kids develop and get an opportunity at the highest level - it's often too easy to stick with the senior pros but Surrey have given him a chance and he has taken it.
"It's the same at Yorkshire - they give kids a go, they take wickets and score runs and they go on to play for England."
Watch The fifth Ashes Test live on Sky Sports, starting at 10am on Sky Sports Ashes on Thursday 20th August. You can watch without a contract on NOW TV, while our Ashes Events Centre - the best of Sky Cricket's analysis at your fingertips - is available on our iPad app.
