13 January,2009 01:40 PM IST | | PTI
Dismissing suggestions that he back-stabbed skipper Kevin Pietersen during his feud with sacked coach Peter Moores, England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff said he wanted both to stay on their job.
Breaking his silence on the spat that cost both Pietersen and Moores their jobs, Flintoff said he backed the former captain, but would have also liked the ex-coach to stay on.
"It is sad for Kevin the way it ended," Flintoff told 'Daily Mirror'. "We had a chat in Mohali before we went away and one of the things I said was that I hoped the two of them could carry on.
"It was a tough trip to India and as the captain Kevin experienced that and I thought he conducted himself well," Flintoff said. At the same time, he said, he expected Moores too stay on. "I had a good relationship with Peter as coach so I was hoping the two of them could carry on, but obviously it has not turned out that way," he said.
Rubbishing reports of ditching Pietersen in the bitter episode, Flintoff said, "The support was there from me for Kevin as captain. I've spoken to Kev and the way I've acted in team meetings and on the field completely flies in the face of those accusations.
"My job is to support the captain and that doesn't change," he stressed.
