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England coach Brendon McCullum has been given the green light to continue his role despite the team's dismal 4-1 Ashes defeat. However, he has been urged to strengthen ties with county teams to enhance collaboration and communication.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will confirm McCullum's continuation on Monday, following a comprehensive review of the Ashes series. As part of the review, McCullum has agreed to adopt a more rigorous approach to training and preparation, which includes measures like a midnight curfew during the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.A key area of focus for McCullum is to build better relationships with counties, many of which feel marginalized by his selection approach. The ECB's managing director of men's cricket, Rob Key, has taken initial steps by inviting county directors of cricket to a meeting at Lord's to discuss selection strategies.The appointment of a new national selector to replace Luke Wright, who stepped down for personal reasons, is also underway. One potential solution being considered is the introduction of liaison officers from counties to facilitate regular discussions on selection with Key, McCullum, and the new selector.Surrey head coach Gareth Batty recently highlighted concerns that the pathway between county and international cricket had become 'misted over', despite several Surrey players being part of the Ashes tour and England's T20 World Cup squad.