Jan 14, 2009

Sport - Cricket;Flintoff wanted both Pietersen and Moores to continue

London, Jan 13 (IANS) The England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff said he wanted former captain Kevin Pietersen and the sacked coach Peter Moores to keep their jobs.

Pietersen resigned last Wednesday and Moores was fired following a major disagreement between the pair.

Speculation has persisted about Flintoff's role in the saga but the former captain insists he gave both men his backing.

'I hoped both of them could carry on in their jobs,' he was quoted as saying in The Guardian. 'I supported Kevin as captain and I also enjoyed working with Peter. It is a shame that things had to end the way they did.'

'I guess something had to happen, but I probably didn't realise how serious it was between them. Having only been involved for a short space of time, I didn't see it coming.'

Flintoff backed Strauss to succeed as captain. 'The captaincy is not something I'm hanging out for. I had a go at it and I found it quite difficult trying to bat, bowl, field at slip and then captain as well. My priority is getting a win in the West Indies.'

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