Freddie not a fan of Athers then?

Say what you really think Fred!
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/cricket-storm-as-andrew-flintoff-hits-out-at-michael-atherton-7872680.html

“He’s a p***k,” said Flintoff. “He’s a f*****g p***k.” Why so? “He sits there making judgments about players that are much better than he ever was, believe me, he’s a p***k.

Wow. Wowzers. Bloody wow.

“How can he talk about a player like [current England opening batsman] Alastair Cook who is 10 times the player he ever was — he has a much bigger average and will go on and on. Atherton averaged in the 30s for England and yet he thinks he can judge others.”

Andrew Flintoff test batting average- 31.

Oh dear.

As a journalist, Atherton has dismissed Flintoff’s claim to greatness as a player and also pooh-poohed his captaincy of the side in 2006.

In 2006 Atherton wrote in the Telegraph: “The only positive benefit of the injury to Flintoff may be the end of his immediate captaincy ambitions. I don’t subscribe to the view that England’s underperformance against Sri Lanka was entirely down to Flintoff’s captaincy but equally I have never subscribed to the view that he is the man for the job.”

Athers is pretty spot on though isn't he?

Yes he is. Flintoff's outburst has to be the most class-less display by an ex-England captain ever*





*With the possible exception of a few things Beefy said and did.

Yes, bowling standards and pitches in the noughties were exactly the same as in the nineties. Cook is the new Hobbs.

Bet Athers would love to see Cook face Akram, Ambrose, McGrath, Warne et al.

By Flintoff's logic, only Bradman should be allowed to critique any other batsman in the history of the game. Too bad he's long dead.

It's disappointing when a guy shows his true colours like this, and let's everyone down with what they see.

Freddie was fun to watch but you were never in doubt that it was all about him.

Interesting that all the journos are united in their condemnation of Flintoff after these comments, despite his claims to being an England great.

Post-2005 Ashes, most journos thought Flintoff became a blatant self promoter who used cricket as a marketing tool. None of them were sad to see him retire. In fact, most of them were downright pissed off that his retirement announcement coincided with the hugely exciting, title deciding day of the 2010 County Championship.

I met Freddie a few times when he used to get pissed up in Didsbury, though it was a few years ago.
He was an arrogant, oikish, yokel bully then, and it appears he still is.

No, I know what Flintoff is saying. Atherton is one helluvan arrogant prick. Don't get me wrong, he has sound judgement - is articulate, doesn't take himself too seriously and is one of my favourite journalists but sometimes he makes incredible presumptions on the basis of five minutes of watching someone... he witters on to reinforce those comments with spongy rhetoric. Yes, you've guessed, he has on many occasions spoke some F*CKING LOAD OF F*CKING SHIT ABOUT NORTHANTS AND HE'LL FOREVER BE IN A DEBT OF HATRED TO ME, THE UTTER F*CKING QUNT.

As for Freddie - thanks for the memories but you've quickly transcended into caricaturish twattery.

Has Freddie taken up cage fighting yet?

JKLever wrote:

Say what you really think Fred!
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/cricket-storm-as-andrew-flintoff-hits-out-at-michael-atherton-7872680.html

“He’s a p***k,” said Flintoff. “He’s a f*****g p***k.” Why so? “He sits there making judgments about players that are much better than he ever was, believe me, he’s a p***k.

Ooh. Freddie isn't going to like any of us then.

taipan wrote:Has Freddie taken up cage fighting yet?

Well, sure all it would take would be for Adam Hollioake to insult him and he'd be applying for a licence...

Regarding Atherton (who was a much better player than his career average suggests anyway), is he suggesting that to criticise a player you have to be/have been better than the player in question? Are all coaches, commentators, writers, fans with opinions great players themselves? No, but it doesn't mean they can't tell a good player something valid, or comment on a player's weaknesses. You don't have to have been a horse to be a jockey, as the saying goes...

Well that's all respect for him from me lost.

The qunt should have played football, he would have fitted right in.

Aye, on reflection he doesn't just sound like a cock - he sounds as thick as shit... I even thought he looked a dick on Saturday / Tuesday when I saw him at the ODI... bit of a twattish swagger about him, talking to randoms.

Has it been in the news? Bubble burst?

No, he wasn't doing anything in particular... just walking around in a suit... in fact Athers was on commentary and was talking quite fondly about Fred. Obviously the news hadn't broken!

Meh. So he slagged off a fellow ex-player, won't be the first or last time. Sometimes I think we all expect sportsman to be perfect all the time. They get drunk, get jealous, make mistakes, say silly things, dislike colleagues, criticise others and choose the wrong options. Just like all of us.

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:Meh. So he slagged off a fellow ex-player, won't be the first or last time. Sometimes I think we all expect sportsman to be perfect all the time. They get drunk, get jealous, make mistakes, say silly things, dislike colleagues, criticise others and choose the wrong options. Just like all of us.

And Flintoff did all of the above in one outburst.

True.

Henry wrote:Interesting that all the journos are united in their condemnation of Flintoff after these comments, despite his claims to being an England great.

Post-2005 Ashes, most journos thought Flintoff became a blatant self promoter who used cricket as a marketing tool. None of them were sad to see him retire. In fact, most of them were downright pissed off that his retirement announcement coincided with the hugely exciting, title deciding day of the 2010 County Championship.

twin fleas off a rink

This article made a similar point in a roundabout way about how sometimes the legend becomes bigger than the game or common sense re. the Ramdin incident. The suggestion here was that if he had held up a sign that didn't insult Viv. we would have just moved on.

http://m.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/a-blow-against-common-sense-20120615-20fm6.html

Fred will never go away though, he's a publicity whore and near the end of his career he thought he was bigger than the team. Can't forget those images at Lord's where he celebrated his wickets in the crucifix position and everybody was meant to bow to his greatness.

Meh, he played a big part in England winning two Ashes series. I'll always admire him for that. That spell on the last day at Lord's in 2009 was absolutely immense.