Duncan Fletcher has tendered his resignation as England coach following their failure to qualify for the Cricket World Cup semi-finals. But win or lose this World Cup, South Africa should offer Fletcher a job.

Any job!

Fletcher has been coaching England since 1999, overseeing 96 Test matches (winning 42, losing 30 and drawing 24), whilst also being in charge for 165 One-Day Internationals - 74 of those on the winning side and 82 as the losing coach (two were tied and seven ended in no result).

Now, don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting that Mickey Arthur should be fired - that could happen after the semi-finals next week... - but imagine what someone like Fletcher could add to the SA brainstrust at national level and, most importantly, to a young coach like Mickey Arthur?

The jury is still out on Arthur as a top-level coach. If he guides SA into the final - and therefore past Australia in next week's semi's - it would be hard to sack him, but imagine how much he could learn (win or lose next week) from someone of Fletcher's stature? Someone, who lest the English media and public have forgotten, has tasted success against Australia, in a Test series, and somebody who has transformed the likes of Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison into world-beaters.

Sure, Vaughan has not been able to buy a run during the World Cup thus far, Tresco crumbled under pressure well before the World Cup, Freddie Flintoff has caused more of a stir off the field than on it and Harmison is not even in the Caribbean right now, but England's failed CWC campaign - they have not made the play-offs since 1992 - and their 0-5 Ashes reversal should not be held against Fletcher.

When Fletcher took over from David Lloyd in 1999 - having been booed off the field after losing at home to New Zealand - England were officially ranked as the worst Test nation in the world. Six years later they managed to win their first Ashes series in 18 years. Yes, their one-day form has hardly been inspiring, but one cannot really argue with SA's ODI form too much at present; it's their Test cricket that needs some help (they are rated a lowly sixth at present on the ICC rankings) and that is where Fletcher could be the perfect foil to Arthur.

Whilst West Indian legend Desmond Haynes was a major influence in the careers of Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs (not to mention Gary Kirsten), few people forget that Fletcher was actually the Western Province coach in those days. Graeme Smith, not to mention AB de Villiers, could also learn a thing or two from a renowned batting coach like Fletcher - much like Kallis and Gibbs before them.

Ok, so let's say Arthur wins the World Cup and he cannot be fired. Well, then, make Fletcher the CSA's Director of Batting, make him the Director of Coaching - let the next generation of coaches learn from him... (Arthur, in my opinion, should be included in that list - especially when it comes to Test cricket.) Give him any title - just don't lose out on him. There are a bunch of vacant coaching jobs, both internationally and locally, if we don't snap him up, somebody else will.

If Cricket South Africa are serious about making the Proteas a world force - for the record; a World Cup semi-final does NOT qualify you as a world force - they will be the ones knocking at Fletcher's door. Gerald Majola and your cronies at Cricket South Africa, do not let him slip through your fingers again... Please.

What do you think? Is Howard way off? Email us!