Right said Fred

By Chris Charles

FREDDIE ANTHEMS? Bat out of hell (Meatloaf) Boozy Nights (Heatwave) Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie) Two pints of lager and a pocket of slips (Splodgenessabounds) Howzat (Sherbet) Some of your ideas

I don't know, you wait all year for an England sporting hero to be unmasked as a secret pop star and suddenly two come along at once.

First we had Rugby World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio revealed as a choirboy who sang backing vocals on the Tina Turner Hit We Don't Need Another Hero.

Now Ashes star Freddie Flintoff is taking singing lessons, with one eye on releasing a record.

Freddie, currently playing for the World XI Down Under, is being coached by opera singer Jon Christos after the pair met at a charity ball last month.

Christos, who sang at the event, said: "He actually came up to me to congratulate me on my performance and we got chatting. We're both Manchester City footy fans and we just got on.

"I told him it should be me congratulating him on his success in winning the Ashes, but he said he would trade it all in to do what I do.

"I told him, 'You're the hero of the country right now - why would you want to do that?' But he's very passionate about singing, so I said let's get together. He's a big karaoke man and he loves crooning."

Freddie is well known for leading the sing-songs in the dressing room and even attempted a drunken version of Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds during the England victory celebrations in Trafalgar Square.

Christos has ensured there will be no repeat performance, insisting the King will not be making an appearance when the pair meet up on Flintoff's return from Australia.

The singer, who is also a classically-trained musician, told the Daily Telegraph: "I will have prepared him a couple of tracks and we'll get to work.

"I promised Fred I would not give away what we're doing, but it's not Elvis. He had a couple of tracks in mind. All I can say is that they'll have a Rat Pack feel."

No-one else is involved in the project at present, but Christos could do worse than recruit Flintoff's fellow fast bowlers Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Matthew Hoggard.

Freddie and the Seamers? It's almost a good name for a band.

Or even Freddie and the Steamers, based on their Ashes victory celebrations.

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YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR FREDDIE SONGS

Great Bails of Fire - Jerry Lee (Duckworth) Lewis
Ed, UK

Stump up the jam - by Technotronic
Dean W, England

Still hazy after all these beers
Pete Haslam, UK

All Night Long (Lionel Richie)
Mark Gardner, UK

The way you make me field - Michael Jackson?
Archie, UK

Anything by Iron MAIDEN?
Mark Duffield, UK

Sultan Of Swing or All Rounder My Hat

I'm In The Middle of A Bowling Action
(Chain Reaction - Diana Ross)
Steve, Canada

Stand By Your Third Man

Hit me with your willow stick (Ian Dury and the Blockheads)
Michael Beaney, England

Where Did You Get That Bat?
Rob Ainsley, UK

I think Fredddie should sing: 'Let me be your hero'...cos after all he is a legend
Conor Minnis, Northern Ireland

666 (the number of the beast) - Iron Maiden
Ron Slugend, UK

Don Henley - Boys Of Summer
Tony, UK

"It's over" by Roy Orbison
Michael, Bermuda

Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sixy!
Dean Oakley, England

Maybe a remake of the Flintstones is on the cards, with a bit of rapping John Barnes style!!
Huw, England

'Stuck in the Middle With You' sung as a duet with Geraint Jones, with photos of Hayden and Gillespie to the left and Ponting and Kasprowicz to the right!
Mike Prag, England

Tie me Kangaroo down sport
Graeme Smith, Aberdeen, Scotland

When I'm 6 & 4's - The Beatles
Jason Hone, United Kingdom

The clue's in that they're both City fans - a cover of Blue Moon! Or perhaps Wonder-ball or Champagne Super-over (both Oasis).
Paul, USA

Leave Sherbert's Howzat for Shane Warne!
Ben, Australia

Im Soo Dizzy, my head is spinning, like a whirlpool, it never ends
Java Craig, Scotland

Chinaman in your Hand - T'Pau
Dave, England

What a good year for the roses ( Elvis Costello)
Joe, England

Surely after those Ashes celebrations, 'Sunglasses' would be an idea.
Chris Reynolds, UK

This Charming Man - The Smiths
Dave, England