Brendon McCullum has accepted that England's Ashes defeat, but refused to be told what to do. The 44-year-old coach, who is under pressure due to a series loss to Australia, has insisted he will not be micromanaged by those outside the dressing room.
"We started so well in the first couple of years and now we are eking downwards," said captain Ben Stokes, who remains supportive of McCullum. "We've got unbelievable resources in English cricket and the ECB as a whole... But the dressing room is a different beast, it comes with different pressures and responsibilities."
Stokes praised McCullum as a great man and a very good coach, but acknowledged that there are areas for improvement. The England team has struggled to perform away from home, losing 11 of their last 15 Tests on the road.
McCullum is not ruling out his own future as Test coach, despite concerns over his ability to improve the team. "I am obviously disappointed with the outcome of the series," he said. "As coach you have to put your hand up... I feel like we have got the makings of a good cricket team."
The ECB has announced a review into the series defeat, which will cover tour planning and preparation, individual performance and behaviors, and the ability to adapt and respond effectively as circumstances require. The review is expected to lead to changes in the England squad.
With England's futures at risk, McCullum must now prove that he can turn his team around. While he has a firm belief in how to get the best out of his players, he also acknowledges that there are areas for improvement and that he needs to be given space to make decisions without being micromanaged by those outside the dressing room.
The ECB's review will provide an opportunity for McCullum and his team to address their weaknesses and improve their performance. However, with Stokes remaining at the helm as captain, it remains to be seen whether McCullum will be able to turn the team around and avoid being sacked.
"We started so well in the first couple of years and now we are eking downwards," said captain Ben Stokes, who remains supportive of McCullum. "We've got unbelievable resources in English cricket and the ECB as a whole... But the dressing room is a different beast, it comes with different pressures and responsibilities."
Stokes praised McCullum as a great man and a very good coach, but acknowledged that there are areas for improvement. The England team has struggled to perform away from home, losing 11 of their last 15 Tests on the road.
McCullum is not ruling out his own future as Test coach, despite concerns over his ability to improve the team. "I am obviously disappointed with the outcome of the series," he said. "As coach you have to put your hand up... I feel like we have got the makings of a good cricket team."
The ECB has announced a review into the series defeat, which will cover tour planning and preparation, individual performance and behaviors, and the ability to adapt and respond effectively as circumstances require. The review is expected to lead to changes in the England squad.
With England's futures at risk, McCullum must now prove that he can turn his team around. While he has a firm belief in how to get the best out of his players, he also acknowledges that there are areas for improvement and that he needs to be given space to make decisions without being micromanaged by those outside the dressing room.
The ECB's review will provide an opportunity for McCullum and his team to address their weaknesses and improve their performance. However, with Stokes remaining at the helm as captain, it remains to be seen whether McCullum will be able to turn the team around and avoid being sacked.
. He's speaking truth to power, you know? Like, their losses are no one else's fault but their own. The ECB needs to stop breathing down their necks and let them figure some stuff out for themselves 
. McCullum's not wrong about the team having potential - I mean, they've lost 11 of their last 15 Tests on the road... that's like, what's going wrong, man?! Maybe it's time to rethink their tour planning strategy 
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you gotta take some responsibility for those losses! 11 away games losing is a disaster! but i think stokes has got your back, he's not gonna stab you in the back, he believes in you. but seriously, mccullum needs to sort out that team and stop getting thrashed on foreign soil 
. ECB review is good step forward, gotta see what changes come out of it, maybe new coaches or a complete overhaul? anyway, one thing's for sure - england cricket can't keep relying on Stokes to carry the team 
what a tough time for brendon mccullum... 
he's gotta take responsibility but also can't have people breathing down his neck in the dressing room... 11 losses on the road is crazy tho! 
how did they not prepare better? 
he's clearly not doing his job if england keeps losing like this. they need a fresh face in the dressing room, someone who can breathe new life into the team. ben stokes is being super supportive of him though, which is cool i guess 
England's got all the resources in the world, but they still can't win on the road. It's time to shake things up in that dressing room! 
. They've got talented players but they just can't seem to get it together on the road. I mean, 11 losses in their last 15 Tests away from home? That's not acceptable 
. He seems like a great guy and a good coach, but they need to see some serious improvement or it's time for a change 
, but it's gonna take more than that to turn this team around 
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. I think McCullum's got some valid points about being micromanaged too... coaches should have more freedom to make decisions, right? 
We shouldn't be so quick to sack him just yet... let's give him some time and space to turn things around 
to see if they can turn the team around and improve their performance away from home. The ECB's review is a great opportunity for McCullum to address his weaknesses and prove himself as a coach 