Paul Collingwood warns English cricket schedule could "break" the players

GEORGE DOBELL IN GRENADA: Collingwood has suggested the idea that England will simply be able to select their "best team" for every game is naïve and risks the long-term future of all-format players such as Ben Stokes

Paul Collingwood has warned that England's "horrific" schedule risks "breaking" players "physically and emotionally".

So relentless has England's calendar become that, over the next year, there will be occasions when the red and white-ball squads are touring different countries at the same time. As a result, rest, rotation and the prioritisation of events will be necessary.

Collingwood has suggested the idea that England will simply be able to select their "best team" for every game is naïve and risks the long-term future of all-format players such as Ben Stokes.

"I'm sure the new coach will want to pick best team he can possibly have," Collingwood said. "But if you look at that fixture list, we're going to have to be very careful. Have a look at the fixture list: we're going to blow a lot of players out of the water very quickly.

"Ben Stokes has been a prime example. He's put his body on the line this series because he wants to win games of cricket. Players continue to do that and they'll break, they'll break physically and emotionally. So we've got to be a little bit careful to say get the best team on the park every time because that fixture list moving forward is horrific.

"We're playing Covid catch-up. We all know that. It's going to be a hectic for the next two years because we've got to catch-up on games and organisations need to catch up on money."

^{Paul Collingwood is concerned about the England team's schedule (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

Collingwood's words are intriguing. He is keen to be considered for one of the coaching roles in the new era so his implied criticism of the administrators who have concocted the schedule may count against him. But, burning with frustration after having seen England's hard work in the Caribbean go to waste with an awful day-three performance in Grenada, Collingwood hinted that mental and physical weariness had played a part in "breaking" the team.

"A three-match series back-to-back takes its toll," he said. "I know it's the same for both sides but they were monumental efforts in those first two games to actually try to get a result.

"We talk about trying to apply pressure for long periods and hopefully the opposition will break.

"I think Josh da Silva's innings that [third] morning actually broke us. The frustration about not being able to take those last two wickets quickly in the morning filtered into the batting in the afternoon. Our decision-making wasn't good enough.

"It's something we've got to improve upon in pressure situations. We realise that. We said when we came on this tour that we weren't going to be the finished article. But we want to get the right attitude and the right things in the dressing room to progress the team as a unit moving forward. I think we've done a hell of a lot of good things on this tour, which is why it's even more gutting not to get the result in the end."

Collingwood also angrily refuted claims the culture around the England team had become soft. Although Collingwood, like many successful managers, is clearly loathe to criticise his players in public and said it "amazes" him that Joe Root's captaincy is being questioned despite a record winless streak, he insisted "uncomfortable conversations" had taken place when necessary. He also stated that Andy Flower, who developed something of a reputation of a tough, plain-speaking coach, took a more sophisticated approach than simply "bollocking" players.

"Sometimes it amazes me that Joe [Root's position as captain] gets questioned, because of how it feels within the dressing room. It's the first time I've worked with him as a head coach and you can see the passion and the drive. There's a real hunger to get it right. These aren't just words coming out of his mouth. He's desperate to get the team back to winning games of cricket.

^{Collingwood is the interim head coach of the England men's team (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)}

"I can't say anything but positives in terms of what he's done leadership wise in the dressing room, trying to move this team forward. He's been unbelievable in this Test series to work with and see how he goes about his business, and being able to give the rest of the players responsibility. Himself and Stokesy have been superb on this trip.

"After the third day, we had a great open chat about how we're going to improve in pressure situations. But it was very relaxed, everyone together, and that is how we have been operating these last three-and-a-half weeks. That's what good teams do: they discuss things. There's a desperation there that we want to improve. We're not brushing over stuff at all. We're actually trying to hit everything head on and try and become as good as we can as quickly as we can.

"When England were bowled out cheaply in Jamaica in 2009, we got in a room and talked. Andy Flower might have an image of being tough but all we did was get in a room and communicate. We might have direct conversations and things that might feel uncomfortable but it wasn't getting them in a room and giving a bollocking.

"It's doesn't necessarily always need the hairdryer kind of method. But how do you know what direct messaging I gave at the start of the tour? I'm not going to tell you what I said. But we've had many uncomfortable conversations on this trip."

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