ENGLAND limited-overs coach Ashley Giles is "very interested" in replacing Andy Flower as team director.

Giles has been tipped as the man most likely to replace Flower, who announced he was leaving the post on Friday.

New England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) managing director Paul Downton is set to begin the task of finding a successor, with that search set to begin after Giles and the England team return home from Australia on Monday.

"I'd be very interested in doing the job, definitely," Giles said, after his side finished their nightmare tour Down Under with an 84-run defeat in Sydney to concede the Twenty20 series 3-0.

"I'm not going to deny that and I'm sure I will be applying for the post."

Giles revealed he had already spoken to Downton following Flower's decision, which came as a shock to him.

The 40-year-old is, however, not taking anything for granted after enduring a chastening experience of his own Down Under.

Defeat in Sydney condemned England to a second series whitewash of the winter, following their 5-0 Ashes embarrassment, after losing the one-day international series 4-1.

Giles is therefore reluctant to think too far ahead with a limited-overs tour to the West Indies and the World Twenty20, which starts in Bangladesh on March 16, foremost in his thoughts.

"I've not given him my CV yet," he said.

"At the end of the day I think it is important that I control what is coming up in the next couple of months.

"If I have to put an application in over the next couple of weeks then I'll think about that and get it done.

"Results will talk as well and I've got a really big series in the West Indies and more importantly the World Cup in Bangladesh.

"Our record in the sub-continent for limited-overs cricket isn't brilliant so it is a good challenge.

"We're pretty much at base level right now. We have a lot of work to do and before that we have a lot of talking to do about which squad we take."

Downton has time on his side before any decision on the new head coach needs to be made, with England's next Test not until June when they host Sri Lanka.

Former India and South Africa coach Gary Kirsten has been tentatively linked, and Giles knows showing he can turn fortunes around in the next two months can boost his prospects.

"I'm not silly, if it goes out to a process other people are going to apply," he said.

"It's one of the biggest jobs in cricket and I'd apply for it because I want to do it. As someone who was very proud to play for England I've been proud to coach the one-day side. To do the whole job would be a fantastic opportunity, but it's hard work as well.

"We have a lot of hard work to do before whoever is announced as head coach of this side."

Giles is set to name his squad for the Caribbean tour on Thursday, with those taken set to be in the final World Twenty20 list.

Giles has warned them to expect plenty of hard work after their nightmare winter.

"We've had a pretty big fall during this winter," he said.

"We've got some turning around to do and that starts in the West Indies. We have a lot of hard work to do before Bangladesh otherwise this sort of thing is going to happen again."

The former Warwickshire coach refused to be drawn into speculation over Kevin Pietersen.

The controversial batsman's future has been the centre of debate after the Ashes, with Giles set to meet with Downton when he returns home to confirm his squad for the West Indies.

"There's a lot to talk about," he said.

"There's more than one bloke to talk about and many positions in this side.

"You don't like guys living in fear but we've not played very good cricket here. There are always careers as well as jobs on the line, whether it be coaching or playing. We've got to all be better.

"There will be no substitute for sheer hard work. That will be the start point in the West Indies. Guys can expect some early mornings and some late nights."