Freddie Flintoff says ‘I’m worth more’ as he quits job | Cricket | Sport
Cricket legend Freddie Flintoff has revealed he departed The Hundred franchise Northern Superchargers after being offered ‘a quarter’ of the wages paid to other head coaches. The Lancashire and England hero joined the team in 2023 shortly after recovering from a horrific accident on the set of Top Gear.
In 2022, the trike that Flintoff was driving overturned, resulting in a series of severe injuries including, as he revealed recently, the complete loss of his teeth. His wife Rachael revealed after the crash that her husband was ‘saved’ by cricket when he needed it most.
For two years, Flintoff has served as head coach of the Northern Superchargers and has also worked with the England Lions development squad. However, the 47-year-old has confirmed that he has now departed the former role.
Explaining his exit on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, Flintoff said: “I genuinely don’t do it for the money – although it’s nice – but I’m worth more than just over a quarter of the salary of other head coaches. We have new owners and I spoke to them and said: ‘Yeah, fine, make us an offer.’
“I wasn’t encouraged they wanted me anyway, and you want to feel valued. So I said that it’s not going to work for me and they weren’t going to move on it.
“I felt we were building something over the last two years and I’d have loved to see it through.” The Northern Superchargers, who are based at Yorkshire’s Headingley Stadium, were sold to The Sun Group in July.
The Indian media company, which also owns Sunrisers Hyderabad and Sunrisers Eastern Cape, has taken full control of the franchise from Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Kaviya Maran, Head of Sports at Sun TV Network Limited, expressed her delight about the takeover in July.
“We’re excited to have acquired the Northern Superchargers and to begin this new chapter in close collaboration with Yorkshire County Cricket Club,” she said. “Yorkshire’s proud cricketing heritage, its passionate fan base, and the iconic Headingley Stadium make this a truly special opportunity.
“We are committed to building upon that legacy. The Hundred has created a stage where tradition meets innovation and fans of all ages are tuning in.
“It’s a game changer and we are here to help push it even further. For someone who is passionate about the game’s future, especially bringing more women and younger fans into it, this investment felt like a no brainer.”
Meanwhile, Flintoff is expected to focus his efforts on the national team. He will be heading to Australia this winter as his England Lions take on the English first-team in a warm-up match ahead of the Ashes tour.
