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Steve Harmison: 'Ashley Giles deserves England job'

Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison tips his 2005 Ashes-winning teammate Ashley Giles to succeed Andy Flower as the national team's technical director.

Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison has called on the ECB to appoint Ashley Giles as national team coach across all three formats.

England are searching for a replacement for Andy Flower, who stood down as technical director last week following a disappointing Ashes Tour to Australia.

South African Gary Kirsten has been tipped as a potential successor, but Harmison believes that Giles, who is currently in charge of both England one-day teams, would be the perfect fit.

"I'd like to see them give it to Ashley Giles," he told reporters. "I think he deserves a chance. I don't see too many legitimate candidates putting their hands up and saying 'I deserve a chance to coach England'.

"There's talk about Gary Kirsten. I don't think Gary Kirsten will want the England job because of the way he left India and South Africa: he wanted to spend more time with his family, and he's not going to get that in England.

"I think Ashley Giles deserves a chance to put his stamp on this side: I'd give him the Test job and the one-day job and possibly detach the Twenty20 job altogether. He's got all the trades. He worked hard as a cricketer, and as a coach he did all the hard work at Warwickshire, winning the Championship. He'll throw everything behind it, and I think he'll succeed - especially with people like Alastair Cook around him."

Giles took 143 Test wickets at an average of 40.60 during his Test career with England.

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Joe Fish
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Gary Kirsten (Head Coach) during the South African national cricket team squad announcement and kit launch for ICC 2013 Champions Trophy at Sahara Park Newlands on May 02, 2013
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