It's Tough Being Me - The Kevin Pietersen Story

[sledger]

I'm beginning to find it very annoying that people are framing this issue as centering around England being a team "not capable of putting up with a great player's quirks" (I'm looking at you, Michael Vaughan). Everyone knows KP has plenty of so called "quirks", but so far as I can see putting up with them has never been an issue.

What has, and apparently still is, an issue, is that on top of these quirks he's essentially shown himself to be, or at least that he is capable of being, a divisive and damaging presence in the dressing room. I'm not attempting to pass comment on whether these fresh allegations of divisiveness have any substance, they may not do, time will tell. But to try and paint the whole scenario as being a case of England not being able to handle a maverick player is just plain wrong in my opinion.

 

[CricAddict]

Simon Katich.

Amir and Asif

Worst send off - agreed..
Better player? That is something in contention..

Gower

What happened to Gower?

 

[GIMH]

If that article is accurate then KP is hard done by

 

[Jono]

Haha, I can just imagine KP wanting to speak **** about Flower and holding it in for ages, and then he thinks he's in a meeting with the players where its free rein, and he does it but he misunderstands the purpose and then everyone looks at him awkwardly.

 

[King Pietersen]

Was reading an article written by Swanneh this morning, and he's shocked that KP's been binned. Said that he wasn't popular when text-gate happened, but after his re-integration he was nothing but professional.

"I'll be honest about Kevin Pietersen – myself and several other England players were not exactly members of his fan club during the Textgate scandal of 2012.

"But I changed my opinion of him once he was reintegrated back into the England team towards the end of that year.

"He made a huge effort to improve his attitude around the dressing room. I saw or heard no issues with him in Australia this winter, his approach was exceptional.

"That's why I was baffled on Tuesday when he was effectively sacked as an England player."

The former spinner said he would have understood if Pietersen's career with England had finished after Textgate. "But to go through the reintegration process and then, just 15 months later, discard him for good seems very strange."

He added: "Clearly, Kevin must have upset people enough for the England hierarchy to decide he is no longer wanted. Don't forget we're not talking about a middling player here – we're talking about a batsman of sublime talent."

Graeme Swann 'baffled' by England's decision to sack Kevin Pietersen | Sport | theguardian.com

Seems so strange. Really cannot see why he's so suddenly been binned.

Also, re-watched that 149 against South Africa this morning too. What a ridiculously good innings that was. Really going to miss watching KP bat for England.

 

[sledger]

Would take what Graeme "I was only drink-driving so I could rescue my cat from under the floorboards" Swann says with a pinch of salt tbh.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Arse saving mendacity notwithstanding, as someone who has previous with KP Swann's unlikely to be randomly pro-Pietersen like the other ****tards Twittering their remedial support for the great man.

The opposite's more likely in fact, "Yeah, he's always been a self-aggrandising Yarp **** smoker; good riddance", etc.

 

[sledger]

I'm not sure I'd necessarily follow that.

Swann has always struck me as a fairly odious individual, and whilst this might be an unfair assumption on my part, I wouldn't be at all surprised if this was a "oh look at me, aren't I a jolly decent bloke?" type move tbh.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Fair dos, honest men can differ and all that.

Not sure I agree; whatever Swann's faults (and they're manifold) he's always been pretty indiscrete as 21st century sportsmen go and is sure of the love of the only person whose opinion he cares about, so can't see it, myself.

Possible tho, I guess.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah I'm with Brumby here. Swann doesn't like KP much so I believe what he has to say

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Though the **** may have hit the fan after Swann retired so he never saw it.

 

[sledger]

Yeah I'm with Brumby here. Swann doesn't like KP much so I believe what he has to say

See also: Neil Warnock saying nice things about referees.

 

[Adders]

WTF has KP done wrong?

So 1) he doesn't like the coach? So what? Flower has gone.

It is not as simple as that. He has had "issues" with every side he has ever played in. It's not just Flower.....it was Moores, Strauss, Cook etc. He fell out with the folk at Notts, same thing at Hampshire and I believe had "issues" at his first IPL franchise (don't remember who it was and don't particularly care)

I'm still very much on the fence on this and am waiting to hear exactly what has has been going on behind the scenes, but one thing is for certain........KP is the common denominator in a lot of **** in a lot of sides all the way through his career. Honestly, is the problem KP or do you think it is everyone else???

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Would the world be a better place if Piers Morgan just vanished in the dead of night, never to be heard of again? Would his family miss him?

Almost makes you wish for an intervention from the Stasi. All those poisoned umbrellas and Polonium assassinations have been wasted.

 

[Pothas]

Just saw some of his masterclass from last summer. **** whatever the reasons it is so anoying that he is gone.

 

[ImpatientLime]

Is he really as good as people are making out? or is it a reflection of the lack of alternatives England have right now?

England haven't exactly lost Amla, Clarke or Sanga here. His ceiling imo is higher than anyone I've ever watched, but he's simply not consistent enough to be considered a great of the game. England will be ok. Would love to see James Taylor get a fair crack.

 

[sledger]

Ha, yeah, clearly not a good player.

 

[Adders]

Is he really as good as people are making out? or is it a reflection of the lack of alternatives England have right now?

England haven't exactly lost Amla, Clarke or Sanga here. His ceiling imo is higher than anyone I've ever watched, but he's simply not consistent enough to be considered a great of the game. England will be ok. Would love to see James Taylor get a fair crack.

TBF I don't think I've seen anyone calling him a "great", a lot of posters have said he is one of their favs to watch, or England's best in 50 years etc..........but no one ranks him up there with the Clarkes or Amlas of current players. I think he could have been and I don't think he has done justice to his career with the immense talent he was gifted with.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

TBF I don't think I've seen anyone calling him a "great", a lot of posters have said he is one of their favs to watch, or England's best in 50 years etc..........but no one ranks him up there with the Clarkes or Amlas of current players. I think he could have been and I don't think he has done justice to his career with the immense talent he was gifted with.

Just take a look at how many England ATG sides he makes

 

[Adders]

Just take a look at how many England ATG sides he makes

To be fair being a "great" player and an ATG England player are 2 very different yardsticks.