Perception of England is hard to take - Pope

"We want to be a well-liked team on and off the pitch and unfortunately our performance didn't allow that to happen in Australia. I can understand why people felt that way. The perception that we weren't fussed was probably the hard thing. Every individual is trying to manage the pressures of an Ashes series and get the best out of their performance."

"All everyone wanted to do was win. I guess maybe at times in our minds it was taking the pressure off the actual Test match, as we have done in previous tours, to treat it like a normal series to get the best out of ourselves. Unfortunately, it didn't quite go to plan."

"It is understood head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key retain the support of the ECB, and Key is likely to speak alongside Gould. New Zealander McCullum has repeatedly reiterated his desire to remain in charge, fulfilling a contract that runs until the autumn of next year."

England suffered a significant 4-1 defeat during the Ashes series in Australia, facing criticism for multiple issues both on and off the field. The team's preparation was questioned after playing only one warm-up match before the first Test. Off-field controversies included scrutiny over player drinking habits, a mid-series holiday in Noosa, and an incident where Harry Brook was punched by a nightclub bouncer during the preceding New Zealand tour. Batter Ollie Pope acknowledged the perception that England "weren't fussed" about winning was difficult to accept. Pope explained that players attempted to manage Ashes pressure by treating it as a normal series, but this strategy backfired. The ECB has launched a thorough review led by chief executive Richard Gould, though head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key retain organizational support.

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