England Ashes icon Freddie Flintoff once spoke about his friendship with Alastair Cook and true to form paid the cricket icon the ultimate compliment
Cricket legend Freddie Flintoff once cheekily confessed he’d be over the moon if his daughter brought home former England team-mate Alastair Cook.
The 47-year-old, who shared the pitch with Cook for three years before retiring from the national team in 2009, has always been a big fan of the ex-England captain. The pair, who clinched the Ashes together in Flintoff’s final year as an England player, have remained good friends.
So much so that Flintoff couldn’t help but express his admiration for Cook during a 2015 interview on BBC Radio 5 Live. “I’m a massive Alastair Cook fan,” Flintoff gushed. “If my daughter brought Alastair Cook home, I would high-five the missus!”
He added: “He’s one of the best blokes you could ever wish to meet; I was sad that he had to give it away but I think the time was right.”
Flintoff and Cook caught up again earlier this year on the Stick to Cricket podcast, where Flintoff opened up about his new role as a coach. Since September 2024, he’s been at the helm of the England Lions cricket team and confessed that out of all his career achievements, coaching is the best thing he’s done.
Flintoff has shared his passion for coaching, stating: “Nothing comes close to coaching, I genuinely don’t see it as a job, it’s a privilege. I’m in a dressing room, working with England’s best young players – they’re great kids. Over the winter, Sonny Baker, giving him a debut in Australia, somebody let him go!
“Eddie Jack last week, a fast-bowler, his first wicket was Jaiswal and he’s got KL Rahul. I gave him a debut. On the surface you’re quite calm, but you just want these lads to do so well. I think with the role I’ve got now, obviously we want to win, but it’s something we never really talk about.
“You get a group and a team together and it’s a given that you want to win. I’m more interested in how we play and how we go about things. These lads, there’s different wins along the way. For me, if some of these lads play for England that’s a win, it’s not just about the game.”
As the 2025 Ashes begin, Australia still possess the famous urn, having clinched victory in 2021–22 before the two cricketing giants drew in 2023.