Moores: Flower needs hunger to stay

Peter Moores has backed Andy Flower following a dismal Ashes for England
19 December 2013

Former England coach Peter Moores has backed incumbent Andy Flower to continue in the role - provided he has the hunger to do so.

Speculation has surrounded Flower during England's dismal Ashes display in Australia, with the Zimbabwean refusing to be drawn on his long-term future.

But Moores, asked whether Flower is the man to turn things around, told BBC Radio Five Live: "If he's hungry, yes.

"He's the same as the players, you've got to have the hunger and desire in this job, you're representing the country.

"Andy plays his cards so close to his chest, it's difficult to know (what he will do). If he's hungry, he's good enough, no doubt about it."

Moores admitted the hosts have "given England a bloody nose" in taking an unassailable 3-0 series lead, and expects the tourists to make changes for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

"The strongest drive for anyone in sport has always been having a point to prove, the desire to show people you can play," he said.

"The Aussies have had three Ashes series where they've been beaten, but they got closer in England and they gained some belief from that and had a strong desire.

"The English team have not been able to respond. For whatever reason, if it's fatigue or motivation or shock at how well the Australians have played, they've come up on the blind side and given England a bloody nose.

"There's a pretty strong feeling it's the senior players that haven't delivered (but) sometimes people lose form.

"The side have looked like they've lacked a bit of belief so they probably want to freshen things up a little bit.

"Will (Stuart) Broad be fit or not? That might be a natural change.

"The batting order hasn't functioned for three Tests so I think they're going to have to look at changing that around in some way to give it a new feel. If that means moving some people around the order, who misses out?

"Is it a senior player that misses out, who hasn't performed, or do they try to re-jig that order a little bit? That is the quite tough decision Andy has got coming up."

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