Exclusive: David Willey Defends England’s Off-Field Activities and Warns Against Making McCullum a Scapegoat

David Willey has hit back at criticism aimed at England’s players during their 2–0 Ashes deficit, calling the scrutiny over their off-field activities “completely unfair” and insisting the team needs space to reset between matches.

With England under pressure both on and off the field, Willey said the outrage around the squad enjoying downtime has been blown out of proportion.

“I'm not sure what people expect them to do, whether they just want to sit in their hotel rooms until the next match,” Willey told SportsBoom in an exclusive interaction. 

“They're humans. They've got to get out, refresh their mind, refresh their body. I have no doubt, irrespective of what anyone thinks, when they come to train, they'll be switched on. Stokesy leads by example there, and he'll be dragging people with it.”

‘Don’t use McCullum as a scapegoat’

As talk grows about Brendon McCullum’s future, Willey believes the head coach is not the problem.

“I don't think it's fair just to point the fingers at McCullum. Motti got the bullet at the 2023 World Cup,” he said. 

“Maybe you need to look a little bit higher up the ladder if we keep using the coach as an escape goat. Maybe how we're viewing county championship cricket in the UK and the importance of it, and maybe even the way the contracts for ECB players are handed out — maybe that needs reviewing before you start pointing the finger at the coach again.”

Willey also acknowledged that while the team’s attacking approach has value, it cannot become a shield.

“I think the way they've tried to play the game is great for the game. I think maybe at times that has become, I don't want to say an excuse, but an easy way out for those moments where England have underperformed at key moments.”

In stark contrast to Matthew Hoggard’s recent explosive criticism of England’s “brainless cricket”, Willey offered a more measured defence of the players and coaching staff, urging perspective rather than blame as the Ashes pressure intensifies.

England failing in ‘huge moments’

Willey believes the real issue lies in England’s inability to capitalise when the game is there to be taken.

“The players they've selected are extremely talented and they've had moments in games where they've been on top,” he said. “But there are huge moments in games that England have just not managed to find a way to either absorb pressure or really put a foot on the throat when they've had the opportunity, and that's cost them.”

He pointed to the first Test in Perth as a defining what-if.

“If England could just bat to 40, 50 overs, it was going to get a lot easier to bat on. That's how it played out when Australia went out and batted in their last innings.”

‘Bazball doesn’t cut the mustard in key moments’

Willey said the style England embrace needs flexibility.

“Using the Bazball or ‘this is how we play’ is for me a little bit… it doesn't cut the mustard. In those key moments, you've got to identify those moments and maybe adapt the way you play to suit what's in front of you, not just fall back to ‘this is how we play’.”

He insisted the whole narrative would look different if the first Test had gone another way.

“If England batted well second innings in that first Test, the conversations that everybody is having would be different now.”

How the rest of the series might unfold?

“They're under the pump, obviously,” Willey said. “But when they come to train, they'll be switched on.”

Dubai Capitals experience: ‘Back to business as usual’

Willey also reflected on his Dubai Capitals stint in the ongoing ILT20 and how franchise cricket benefits England’s white-ball players.

“Everyone now plays a lot of franchise cricket. The more franchise cricket people play, the better understanding it is of trying to gel together as quickly as possible,” he said.

“The more game time you have, the better you're going to get. Rubbing shoulders with some of the best players in the world in different conditions is a great opportunity to learn. Even as you get to the latter end of your career, we're still students of the game.”