Ian Botham wants England coach Duncan Fletcher to step down after the World Cup and has backed Australian Tom Moody to take over from him.

"Next month's World Cup in the Caribbean marks the end of a natural four-year cycle, and I expect England to start next summer against the West Indies under new management -- preferably with Tom Moody running the show," the legendary all-rounder said.

"Moody may be an Aussie, but he is innovative, dynamic and he's done an excellent job in charge of Sri Lanka. I only hope Lord's have the guts to employ him," Botham wrote in his column in 'Daily Mirror' newspaper.

England's woeful performance in Australia -- they lost the Ashes series 5-0 and have won just one limited overs match so far -- has led to repeated calls for Fletcher to resign.

Moody, currently in charge of Sri Lanka, emerged as a front-runner for the post after he withdrew from the race to succeed Australian coach John Buchanan, who is stepping down after the World Cup.

Botham said England owed Fletcher a huge debt for transforming the side from being the worst Test team in the world in 1999 to Ashes victors in 2005. But after the pummeling, England have received at the hands of Australia this season, Botham questioned how much energy Fletcher had left.

"I suspect we are nearing the end of an era... and that he (Fletcher) has probably decided by now what he intends to do with the rest of his life beyond the World Cup," Botham said.

"He is a decent man, and his attention to detail is the stuff of legend," he said adding "But it's time to move on. After the World Cup, it's time to usher in a new regime and a new era."