'Whoever comes in needs to do a good job' - Eoin Morgan on whether England should adopt split-coaching model

England’s limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan has expressed his views on the discussion surrounding appointing two different head coaches for red-ball and white-ball formats. Chris Silverwood was sacked from his position after England’s 0-4 defeat in the Ashes in Australia recently, and the replacement is yet to be named. Alec Stewart, who was the managing director, had pulled out recently and Andrew Strauss, who was named the interim director, had raised the possibility of split-coaches for different formats two months ago.

However, for that to happen, England will need to appoint a new managing director and subsequently, a new head coach or coaches will be picked as well. The question has arrived after England’s dismal show in the recent three-match Test tour of the West Indies where they lost 0-1, and are currently placed at the bottom of the World Test Championship points table 2021-2023.

Level of expectation around different formats needs to be communicated: Eoin Morgan

Morgan mentioned that appointing a director of cricket should be the priority rather than the talks over split coaches. He recalled the last time Ashley Giles and Andy Flower were appointed as coaches for different formats, and reckoned that the communication levels should be spot on with both the coaches if it does happen.

“A lot of people have jumped to conclusions about appointing a coach but the first point of call is to get a director of cricket in place and then the recruitment process starts after that. The last time we had a split coaching role, things were very different. It was Ashley Giles and Andy Flower under a different managing director of cricket,” Morgan told ESPNcricinfo.

“If you are going to change something, the level of expectation around different series and different formats needs to be communicated really well and completely understood by both coaches and both teams. I don’t have a massive view on it but obviously whoever comes in needs to do a good job,” he added.