'Something had to give': Atherton says McCullum sacking result of Ashes hangover

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mccullum-brendon/0KJ3u1y4/"]McCullum[/a] will remain in charge of the white-ball set-up, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/UJC5mtAU/"]England[/a] are now looking for both a new Test coach and captain ahead of next month's series with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/pakistan/tS3K91g9/"]Pakistan[/a] after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stokes-ben/bqDhqGMG/"]Ben Stokes[/a] announced his international retirement during the recent series-losing clash against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-zealand/G6PWlrQB/"]New Zealand[/a] at Trent Bridge.[/p][p]While England's 'Bazball' era under McCullum and Stokes started with several thrilling wins four years ago, a 4-1 Ashes series loss in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/OxG0JfXg/"]Australia[/a] concluded in January and the subsequent defeat by McCullum's native New Zealand, both marred by off-field drinking incidents, cast doubt over his methods.[/p][p][b]"The Test team has been struggling for some time,"[/b] Atherton, who led England in 54 Tests between 1993 and 2001, told Sky Sports News.[/p][p]"They have lost seven of their last nine, they are languishing somewhere towards the bottom of the World Test Championship.[/p][p][b]"This is really a long hangover from the Ashes. They sold themselves short there - there have obviously been continuing problems since then, with the loss to New Zealand and the off-field stories. Something had to give."[/b][/p][p]Atherton added: [b]"Because the Ashes went so badly, it left them (the England hierarchy) with very little wriggle room if things went wrong after that - and things went wrong against New Zealand."[/b][/p][embed guid="4dc95159-d146-4bc2-b06c-400f4809664f" url="https://x.com/englandcricket/status/2076290484511907936" social-type="twitter" /][p]Nasser Hussain, another ex-England captain, called for the return of Andy Flower as Test coach, with the Zimbabwean guiding England to three Ashes series wins between 2009-14 and taking the side to number one in the world.[/p][p][b]"I love Flower's approach to coaching - he was meticulous in everything that he did," [/b]said Hussain.[/p][p][b]"That is what has been lacking in this England Test match side. I would do anything if I was (managing director) Rob Key and the ECB to go and get Andy Flower."[/b][/p][p]Michael Vaughan, England's 2005 Ashes-winning skipper, said wholesale change was required within the red-ball set-up.[/p][p][b]"Enough is enough, we need to move on,"[/b] he told the Stick to Cricket podcast.[/p][p][b]"There is no way in a million years that this management group is maximising… and I hate using the word talent now because talent only takes you so far, and we keep saying there are a talented group of players – well, they keep losing."[/b][/p]