Steven Croft interview part two: Ex-Lancashire captain pinpoints coaching targets amid England opportunity

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Steven Croft says captaining Lancashire helped to ignite his ambition to become a coach.

The 40-year-old announced his retirement from cricket a few weeks ago, after scaling back his playing commitments to just the T20 Blast for the 2024 campaign.

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During his career, Croft won several honours, including the County Championship in 2011. He also enjoyed Finals Day success as captain in 2015.

After making over 600 appearances for the Red Rose, the all rounder will now move into coaching full time after occupying a hybrid role in recent years.

Less than a month into his new permanent role with Lancashire, the Blackpool-born cricketer has been offered an opportunity that never came his way as a player.

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“Coaching is something I’m really looking forward to getting into,” he said. 

“I got good news. I’ll be doing the England Lions, the 19s, this winter as well. It made the decision a bit clearer because I can fully immerse myself into not only Lancashire, but the young England players as well.

“I waited 21 years as a player and didn’t get an international call-up, but after a week as a coach the young lions came calling. 

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“It’s been a great year learning, and almost cemented my decision to stick with the inevitable that was coming. 

“Since the captaincy stuff, coaching really appealed to me. I got my level three done a decade ago, and I got the highest qualification at level four. My path was pretty clear from around 2010 or 2011. 

“I’ve been doing the academy and the Lancashire EPP for nearly a decade now in the winters. 

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“I gained quite a lot of experience before jumping into the role, which I suppose you can’t do in every job really. 

“I’m privileged that I had the opportunity to do it with Lancs while I was still a player.” 

Croft states his ambition as a coach is to guide those he is responsible for, and use his own experience to his advantage.

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“My loose long-term coach would be as a head coach - with Lancashire being number one,” he added. 

“I’m going into coaching hopefully to help people and get them to where they want to be. 

“I’m in my infancy of coaching but I’ve had a lot of wins with it already, and that can be little things on and off the field. 

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“The aim is just to help people and get them to the places where they want to be.”

Croft admit he has no plans to return to action with Lancashire, but would be tempted by one hypothetical scenario.

“I’m content with it, but if it was at Old Trafford against the Yorkies then it may appeal if we were very short,” he stated. 

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“It’s one of them, I’ll always have that competitiveness in me, and I’ll probably say yes when I’m 60-years-old. 

“I’m really happy with where I’m at, but if the call came then it’d be hard to say no, especially at Old Trafford.”

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