England coach Paul Collingwood The disappearance of England assistant coach Paul Collingwood for “personal reasons” has caused quite a stir ahead of the Ashes.Collingwood’s last public media appearance came during England’s third Test in Hamilton, New Zealand, last December.Paul Collingwood, England’s first World Cup-winning cricket captain, is unlikely to be included in England’s backroom squad for the Ashes, the Daily Mail has reported.
Gautam Gambhir pitch dispute | England inspected the Oval Pitch freely while India were kept away
Leaked photos and tapesWithin 56 days of being appointed interim head coach of the West Indies series, pictures emerged of him kissing a woman in the sea on a Barbados beach. His England team had just lost by 10 wickets in the decisive third Test.Controversy has been hanging over Collingwood since April 2023 after former teammate Graeme Swann revealed on the Rig Biz Podcast that an explicit audio recording involving the former England captain was circulating among cricketers. The leaked clip allegedly captured Collingwood having a two-hour sexual encounter with several women. While the details of when and where it happened remain uncertain, Swann dismissed the recording as “pure Collingwood”, calling it evidence that he was a “great tourist”.The 2007 strip bar incidentJust over a day before leading England in their 2007 World T20 clash against South Africa – a match in which he was sent off for a golden duck – Paul Collingwood was photographed at a strip club in Cape Town called Mavericks.Collingwood, who married his then-wife Vicky two years ago in the same town, later explained: “I was taken to the wrong bar and as soon as I realized that I left immediately.”He was fined £1,000 for the incident, but the matter was soon dropped.
Vote
Do you believe the leaked audio will affect Paul Collingwood’s future career?
Tax fraudAdding to his troubles, Collingwood recently suffered a legal setback with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), which ordered him to pay £196,000 (about $2 million) in tax. The fine follows a long-running investigation into his use of a personal services company, ‘PDC Rights’, to channel income from sponsorship deals and reduce his tax liability.Although the previous case was dismissed in 2009, HMRC reopened the investigation and ruled that payments from brands such as Slazenger and Clydesdale Bank should be treated as self-employment income rather than company profit. Collingwood recently lost their appeal and must now pay the full amount. Reports suggest he was dealing with these tax matters in London when he missed England’s summer game against Zimbabwe.
