It's Tough Being Me - The Kevin Pietersen Story

[MW1304]

**** me

 

[Tom Halsey]

So you get the worst drubbing in your history, and then get rid of your one world class player?..... and we don't even have anyone in charge when we do itI'm beginning to think that the only sensible candidate for Flower's job is Sir Alex Ferguson

Interesting that you mention Ferguson actually. It occurs to me that one person probably above all others who was definitely not afraid to make decisions like this was Ferguson. Jettisoned countless star players for non-footballing reasons in his time, decisions that were almost all heavily criticised at the time on grounds similar to the reasons this decision is getting criticised. Yet those decisions basically all turned out to be correct and he was by far the most successful manager of his time. Shows the value of a settled/happy dressing room.

I don't understand how anyone can have a strong view on this either way at the moment, without some pretty reliable inside info. In reality probably none of us know what has gone on, and thus whether the decision was justified. It's not like the ECB didn't understand that in purely cricketing terms dropping him was absurd, and yet they dropped him anyway. Not to say that's necessarily the correct decision, but to me it's not obvious at all that it's the wrong one either.

 

[fredfertang]

The lunatics have taken over the asylum

 

[fredfertang]

Interesting that you mention Ferguson actually. It occurs to me that one person probably above all others who was definitely not afraid to make decisions like this was Ferguson. Jettisoned countless star players for non-footballing reasons in his time, decisions that were almost all heavily criticised at the time on grounds similar to the reasons this decision is getting criticised. Yet those decisions basically all turned out to be correct and he was by far the most successful manager of his time. Shows the value of a settled/happy dressing room.I don't understand how anyone can have a strong view on this either way at the moment, without some pretty reliable inside info. In reality probably none of us know what has gone on, and thus whether the decision was justified. It's not like the ECB didn't understand that in purely cricketing terms dropping him was absurd, and yet they dropped him anyway. Not to say that's necessarily the correct decision, but to me it's not obvious at all that it's the wrong one either.

... that's really what I had in mind in mentioning, and the more so that he had the good sense not to show Rooney the door when most expected he would

 

[GIMH]

Every ex-England player to have commented thus far has slammed the decision, a few of whom played with KP. Granted for some you're going back quite a while but he can't be that bad can he?

Sorry but to me this stinks. And if it's true that he wasn't given a reason (and it's only tosser Morgan saying that so far so...) then that's pretty spineless.

There could be more to come out but prima facie he is a name that's easy to scapegoat.

I'd love to hear Strauss's thoughts on this tbh. His opinion is one that will be worth listening to amongst all of this.

 

[Cabinet96]

As you mention there not being a coach, it's worth noting that the England test side doesn't currently have a permanent head coach, number three, number four, wicketkeeper or spinner.

 

[GIMH]

As you mention there not being a coach, it's worth noting that the England test side doesn't currently have a permanent head coach, number three, number four, wicketkeeper or spinner.

And third seamer, probably

 

[Cabinet96]

And third seamer, probably

God yeah. What a mess.

 

[Cabinet96]

Sorry but to me this stinks. And if it's true that he wasn't given a reason (and it's only tosser Morgan saying that so far so...) then that's pretty spineless.

Tim Abraham saying just as much.

 

[Jono]

he can't be that bad can he?

That's the thing, how bad do you have to be to be the best player and dropped for being a dick. You better be a seriously massive ****ing ****. I doubt KP is that bad.

Yes, the whole betraying captain/team to opposition in 2012 was a valid complaint imo. But this one is just wanting to start fresh without someone they dislike.

 

[GIMH]

I'm getting more pissed off with this with every passing minute

I don't want to live in a world where I agree with Piers Morgan unequivocally on any issue. But I find it hard not to on this one

 

[grecian]

Well, when I say it's all open of course you've got a basic framework, and people you rate. Yet the important thing for me is to temporarily kill off the closed-shop feel of the England set-up and give everyone hope, and expectation.

My Test Side would probably be if picked tomorrow

Cook
Robson
Ali
Taylor
Bell
Buttler
Prior
Stokes
Jordan
Broad
Anderson

Yet, I would have many in mind from :old faithfuls like Trott Bres, Onions and Monty: to the not given much of a run, Ballance, Kerrigan, Woakes and Borthwick: to the untried youth of Mills, Wood, Barker: to the established ones who may have thought times gone, Hildreth, C.Wright, Mitchell, Allenby; discarded guys who had a decent run, but weren't great Read, Foster, Root, Bopara; oh and probably about 10 others I've forgotten.

TBH we have an 18 county system, surely we should be looking long and hard at all the talent.

BTW talking of Trott, and depression issues, how is Yardy nowadays, he's a better one-day bowler than many we've got.

 

[3703]

This has all happened so quickly, it'z crazy. The blink of an eye and Swann and KP are gone, 4th in the world, and the state of current and prospective personnel in the game positions this as England's most uncertain period since the 90s. It's all a bit hard to process.

I will say this, not just in talent but in culture, I think he was the most important player to come along for England potentially ever. The thing so distinctive about him was how he lent an "un-England like" edge to this cricket side. An aloof, scything presence who unconditionally believed and could put an opposition to the sword in any situation. Larger than life and impossible to fathom. He in my opinion single-handedly prevented the 2005 ashes from going to a familiar script, and brought fans, players and a dramatic shift in English cricket's destiny with him. If you look at him beside every team mate he played with, he is an absolute freak and anomaly in my opinion. He was an absolute gift to the game and to his team mates like Warne was for Australia. I have no idea what they'll do without him.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Every ex-England player to have commented thus far has slammed the decision, a few of whom played with KP. Granted for some you're going back quite a while but he can't be that bad can he?

Have any of these players to slam the decision been around the team since the SA text messages debacle? Genuine question. Will concede on this if so but if not then I don't think how popular or otherwise and how disruptive or otherwise he was in, say, 2006 has too much to do with this decision.

Also depends heavily on who said ex-England players are. Some are worth listening to. Strauss will be, as you say, and not just because he was the captain involved in 2012. There are some, however, who I definitely wouldn't be taking too much notice of when it comes to building a cricket team, as it would be like listening to Paul Merson on how to build a football team.

 

[Pothas]

That's the thing, how bad do you have to be to be the best player and dropped for being a dick. You better be a seriously massive ****ing ****. I doubt KP is that bad.

Yes, the whole betraying captain/team to opposition in 2012 was a valid complaint imo. But this one is just wanting to start fresh without someone they dislike.

Well he might be that bad, he has fallen out with every single team he has ever played in. We don't know though do we.

I really thought that if anyone could work with KP it would be Cook and Giles, do we even know if they made the decision? If they didn't and it was higher management then it is an awful decision but if they did I can understand it a little bit more.

 

[MW1304]

This sucks.

 

[GIMH]

Have any of these players to slam the decision been around the team since the SA text messages debacle? Genuine question.

No they aren't. Aside from Swann though, realistically they couldn't comment either way. I fully accept it's a moot point to an extent and he may well have got worse since IPL etc but still, these guys who've shared a dressing room with him think it's a joke. Vaughan who captained him thinks it's a joke.

If he is such a dick that he can't be accommodated then he should never have been brought back. But they knew we'd have no chance in India without him. Now that we've lost The Ashes it just seems a convenient scapegoat.

 

[Stace]

This has all happened so quickly, it'z crazy. The blink of an eye and Swann and KP are gone, 4th in the world, and the state of current and prospective personnel in the game positions this as England's most uncertain period since the 90s. It's all a bit hard to process.

I will say this, not just in talent but in culture, I think he was the most important player to come along for England potentially ever. The thing so distinctive about him was how he lent an "un-England like" edge to this cricket side. An aloof, scything presence who unconditionally believed and could put an opposition to the sword in any situation. Larger than life and impossible to fathom. He in my opinion single-handedly prevented the 2005 ashes from going to a familiar script, and brought fans, players and a dramatic shift in English cricket's destiny with him. If you look at him beside every team mate he played with, he is an absolute freak and anomaly in my opinion. He was an absolute gift to the game and to his team mates like Warne was for Australia. I have no idea what they'll do without him.

100% agree with everything there

 

[Jono]

Well he might be that bad, he has fallen out with every single team he has ever played in. We don't know though do we.

If he was that bad you don't bring him back in after 2012 probably. But I agree with what you're saying - its not clear-cut.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

**** me

This sucks.

Just have a **** and be done with it.