Andy Flower or Kevin Pietersen - who stays?

[War]

Obviously it's a shame to lose a player of that ability, but I would say that we don't know the full story. All we see is the results on the pitch, if he's making life difficult for the rest of the team behind the scenes, then it shouldn't matter if it's Kevin Pietersen or some no hoper who is a one cap wonder. He's caused problems wherever he's been, so it's not like it would be out of character for him.

Sure, I'd much rather see him play, but the England team is bigger than just Kevin Pietersen.

I just hope some of the talented guys from County Cricket get a go at replacing him, rather than just the same old names.

Switch Hit : D-day for KP | Cricket videos, MP3, podcasts, cricket audio | ESPN Cricinfo

According the George Dobell who was one of the few UK journalist one the ground in the Ashes, he saw no problem with KP and the interaction with all the players.

The ECB has always been more wrong about KP from the Moores saga & the 2012 situation. The KP situation speaks to general problem with how the English culture deals with Maverick players & always believe in the orthodox (this style defined the Flower era) as this BBC article mentioned recently - BBC Sport - Does English sport suffer from its suspicion of maverick talents?

Johnny Wardle, David Gower, Paul Goscogine, Matt Le Tissier, Glen Hoddle, John Barnes, Johnny Wilkinson, Steve Finn.

This Victorian era anachronistic way of thinking needs to be stopped. England always does this crap..

 

[ferg512]

Thanks a lot England, KP is the only guy that actually makes England games watchable and now hes gone..

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I'm actually quite surprised they think they have enough depth that they do not need him, because clearly they do.

 

[T.J.Hooker]

and England's new head coach is .... Andy Flower

 

[puddleduck]

Did War put Johny Wilkinson in his paragraph earlier?

Lay off the crack mate.

 

[barmyarmy]

Jonathan Agnew is somehow suggesting that KP has been dropped for cricketing reasons...

Speaking of lay off the crack.

 

[RobinHood]

KP hasn't been at his best recently but neither has the rest of the batting line up. Cook, Trott and Prior' averages are declining when really they should be at their peak. I think that's more endemic of the horrible approach instilled by Flower and Gooch though.

There's also nobody anywhere near ready to fill KP's boots aswell, which makes this decision even more baffling. All this before a new coach is even appointed, the ECB just took it upon itself to sack someone, surely they've got an agenda against KP here.

 

[nightprowler10]

Jonathan Agnew is somehow suggesting that KP has been dropped for cricketing reasons...

Speaking of lay off the crack.

Well he was obviously making the rest of the English batsmen look bad in comparison so he had to be let go. What... too much of a stretch?

Seriously, a terrible decision from a fan's perspective. Do we really know everything that was going on behind the scenes though? ECB may well have a proper defensible position that has to do KP's disciplinary issues.

 

[War]

Did War put Johny Wilkinson in his paragraph earlier?

Lay off the crack mate.

Ha i don't follow rugby, was just listing names from the author of the BBC article who suggested that Wilkinson was a maverick in modern English Rugby who talents were similarly under-appreciated etc.

So if you follow Rugby & have issue with Wilkinson been mentioned in such high esteem, take issue with the author - not me.

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ECB may well have a proper defensible position that has to do KP's disciplinary issues.

It might not be wise to put your head on the block for the ECB to do that, in this particular saga.

 

[puddleduck]

I'm not sure he was under appreciated in Rugby. Guy is an English legend. He's also not exactly your typical mercurial talent. He was all about working insanely hard. Almost to the point of an OCD obsession.

 

[asprin]

Woke up to a shocker today. Why would they do that when they clearly don't even have a good enough replacement?

 

[grkrama]

Another talent wasted ....
But i think KP is as much to blame as the ECB,captain and selectors.
One of the first things to do especially if you are super talented is to allow your team mates to feel comfortable around you something that SRT,Ponting,Lara,murali,even warne for all his flaunting was great chums with most ,except of course gilly. This is what made them standout as legends not just an exceptional talent like Zulu ,akthar..etc

This is an awful decision made by ECB ,to make their best batsman a scape goat for collective failure, its laughable to hear them blame one batsman for everything and team spirit is not about making everybody do the same thing ,its about relishing the individuality of every on in the team and backing each other.
it was sad to watch them trying to control their counter attacking batsman and blame him for playing his shots.,no other team tries to curb their sehwag,gayle,dhoni,kholi,warner,watson,dilshan,ryder,mcculum etc ,

but overtime KP will have only himself to blame for putting himself in that position in the first place and for not fully reaching his potential.

 

[isrararrafi]

So in the end, it was KP who lost. Flower seemed to have gotten a promotion, cook stays in as the captain and KP becomes the scape goat. Good luck in reaching the no 1 spot in the next 10 years as I have not seen any talent that can match up to KP in this english team so far.

 

[sifter132]

Well I can see why it happened at least. There has been plenty of smoke around KP for a few years now, and there's no smoke without fire. I'm sure he's unfairly targeted by quite a few teammates and journalists though. Will be interesting to see what comes out in the wash.

If you are going to turf KP, then this is the time to do so: when you are coming off a flogging; have 2 years before the next Ashes; and a new coach coming in.

Another factor of interest will be the fans. Watch the attendance for England this summer. Can they attract crowds with a losing team and one less entertainer?

 

[blockerdave]

Brilliant from Simon Barnes in the times. Behind a paywall so I won't link but will quote the awesome last sentence.

(Whole article is about how KP was brilliant, and a game changer and worth accomdating for his extraordinary talent) then he finishes:

I remember the great swimming coach, Bill Sweetenham, demanding of the Great Britain squad: ?Who wants to be ordinary?? I think the England cricket team just put their hands up

 

[blockerdave]

good also from Michael Vaughan in the Telegraph Kevin Pietersen's sacking by England is preposterous and we are owed a proper explanation - Telegraph