Andrew Flintoff felt he had to “try and make a difference” by applying to become England head coach in 2014 – and would throw his hat into the ring again.

Trevor Bayliss has announced his intention to step down after the 2019 Ashes series.

Flintoff, 40, played a key part in a memorable Ashes win for England in 2005.

The Lancastrian revealed he had been left so “disgusted” by the state of the national squad a couple of years ago that he sent an email to the England and Wales Cricket Board to make his interest in the position known.

Speaking in the latest episode of BBC Radio 5 live’s podcast Flintoff, Savage and the Ping Pong Guy, the former allrounder said once it was established that Peter Moores would be reapplying for the job, his interested cooled.

However, Flintoff would not rule himself out of the running when the top job comes up again.

“I’m talking with my heart, yes (I’ll apply), I want to do it one day… if they want me to do it, I’ll do it,” Flintoff said on his podcast.

Flintoff revealed how the ECB had taken some convincing his 2014 application was for real.

“I thought you can bang on about it and put players down, or actually do something about it? I thought: ‘do you know what? I’ll have a crack at this’, knowing I probably wouldn’t get the job,” he said.

“You had to apply like you do with any job, so I wrote an e-mail to the lad who was doing the interview process. Two weeks pass. No reply. Three weeks pass, no reply.

“They (ECB) didn’t believe it was my e-mail. I’ve had one e-mail address all my life, and they said they didn’t know it was me.”

Flintoff continued: “We spoke about it and I was serious, but I had to think if I’d be better than the person they’re choosing.

“Peter Moores was the front runner.  In my heart of hearts and honest opinion, I would not be better than him.

“I’ve got so much time for him, so after a half an hour conversation, I withdrew myself, because Peter Moores, for me, was the best option – but also said if Moores doesn’t get it, put me back in the hat.”

Flintoff – who following retirement after 79 Test matches had spells at boxing as well as media work and winning the Australian version of I’m A Celebrity in 2015 – feels he could bring something different to a coaching role.

He said: “A coach’s job now is to get players feeling the best they can be to perform, as a coach or mentor, that’d be my greatest asset.

“When I look back now, I should’ve spent more time on my head.

“I spent all the time in the gym and practising, but I should’ve spent more time focusing on my mind.”

Flintoff believes the current England Test squad have plenty of hard work ahead following their comprehensive Ashes defeat in Australia.

“For the first time in a long time, Australia have become Australia again, they were ruthless,” he said.

“England have gone back to England, back to the way they were in the 1990s – soft.”