ANDREW STRAUSS insists appointing an Australian coach of England is an entirely feasible option for this summer's Ashes.
But former opener Matthew Hayden thinks any of his compatriots who look for the job would be "crazy" after the Kevin Pietersen affair.
The Brisbane native, who scored 30 centuries for his country, said: "I think England are entering into a very dangerous space. They have been in a perilous position for the last six months and they are going into very deep times now with an absolutely on-fire New Zealand team and a really revengeful and very in-form Australian team too.
"You'd be crazy to apply for the England coach's role because with a director, you are the man the establishment is going to kick.
"There are going to be some really tough times ahead for England and they need to sort their back of office out quickly, otherwise we are going to see England fall well behind in those Test rankings."
Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie, currently in charge of Yorkshire whom he led to the LV= County Championship title last year, has emerged as a leading contender to succeed the sacked Peter Moores.
New England and Wales Cricket Board director Strauss described Gillespie as "one of the candidates" during a marathon round of interviews at Lord's on Tuesday.
Strauss also confirmed no way back for Kevin Pietersen, citing a "massive trust issue" for various reasons which still linger as a result of the controversial batsman's previous difficulties with both his former captain and his employers.
As for the identity of the new coach - Strauss hopes to make an appointment in time for the start of the Ashes in July - he sees Australian birth as no impediment.
"We've had Australian support staff - David Saker as bowling coach, Troy Cooley in the past," he said.
"When people are in the team environment, they're professional."
The difference with Gillespie, of course, is that as well as being born in Sydney he also took 259 wickets in 71 Tests for his country, including in five Ashes series.
Durham captain Paul Collingwood, who coached Scotland in the recent World Cup, has been mooted as one possible home-grown alternative.
But, speaking after his county completed a six-wicket Championship win over Nottinghamshire on Tuesday, he told the Independent: "It would have to be a ridiculous offer, something I couldn't turn down.
"If I keep taking wickets and scoring runs and keep enjoying it and bringing some good youngsters through here at Durham, it is going to be a hard thing to give up."
Pietersen hit back at Strauss and the ECB in his column for the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday night, accusing them too of an abuse of trust.
On Wednesday, on Twitter, he borrowed from a post sent previously by his Surrey team-mate Kumar Sangakkara - implying confusion at how Strauss could tell him he cannot be trusted to play yet also offer him an advisory role with England's limited-overs team.
Pietersen, who turned down that invitation, tweeted: "Morning all, after a pretty bad day yesterday, I've given it a lot of thought overnight. I'm applying for the coaching job! #StraussLogic"
In his newspaper column, Pietersen had left no one in any doubt about how he felt to have been asked to meet Strauss in a London hotel on Monday - hours after hitting a maiden triple-century for Surrey - only to be told he was no longer wanted.
"I just find it incredibly deceitful what has happened to me and am frankly finding it difficult to understand right now," he said.
Pietersen returned to first-class cricket this summer, at the expense of the majority of his pre-existing Indian Premier League deal, after new ECB chairman Colin Graves had indicated that could be a route back into the Test team for him following his sacking 15 months ago.
The 34-year-old added: "I have done everything I have been asked. I keep asking myself, 'what more could I do?'
"I have never hidden my determination to once again represent England - and having played one of the best innings of my career earlier in the day, I must admit I was riding the crest of a wave.
"Yet it now looks clear (ECB chief executive) Tom (Harrison) knew exactly what Strauss was going to tell me. I messaged Tom after the meeting and asked him why he got me into a hotel knowing precisely what I was going to be told ...
"'You talk about trust,' I said. He simply replied: 'I am sorry you feel that way, Kevin.'
"They have used the word trust to justify not selecting me - well, trust is a two-way thing."
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