England stars face strict approach with Brendon McCullum’s ‘no d***head’ policy

New England Test coach Brendon McCullum enjoyed a successful stint as New Zealand captain and is hoping to transform a side that has won just one of its last 17 Test matches

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Brendon McCullum is set to bring a no-nonsense coaching philosophy to his new role as England Test coach, with the 40-year-old infamously instituting a “no d***head” policy during his time as New Zealand captain.

Speaking in 2016, he said the policy was “pretty important” to New Zealand’s turnaround in form, explaining that Jesse Ryder was one of the players who fell foul of it. Ryder, described by McCullum as New Zealand’s “most talented player” outside of Kane Williamson, saw his career blighted by off-field issues and he only played 13 internationals after McCullum became captain.

“It took us a long time to get where we wanted to be and we lost some people along the way,” McCullum told All Out Cricket in 2016. “And the ‘no d***head policy’ is pretty important too.

“There were some fellas who didn’t necessarily buy into what we were trying to achieve, and they were really talented as well, but unfortunately we just couldn’t have them in our side. Jesse Ryder, for instance.

“Incredibly talented player. Probably the most talented player, outside of Kane, in New Zealand, but you can’t base a team around a guy like that.

“We need everyone on the bus heading in the same direction, and we need to be quite dynamic in how we go about things. So that was one of the things we tried to instill along the road as well.”

And that policy remains central to McCullum’s coaching philosophy, with the 40-year-old telling broadcaster Matt Floyd on his ‘All Out’ podcast : “I think you sort of have to [have that], don’t you?

“When I say ‘no d***head’, I mean ‘no d***head behaviour’ – don’t do anything that’s going to land you on the front page of the Herald, or don’t think because you’re a cricketer that you’re better than the people you walk past in the street.

“Just be a good person, respect the opportunity you have as a cricketer, and go out there and do your thing. It’s fine to be different, that’s completely fine and that’s what makes this such a great sport too – trying to bring all these different characters together and try and come together for a common goal and a common cause.”