Fletcher chronicles part 3: I was right to pick Gilo

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricket/story/0,,2202318,00.html

I particularly like this bit

"It simply had to be Giles," says Fletcher in his forthcoming autobiography Behind The Shades. "He was bowling much better than Panesar at the time. Crucially, Flintoff, the captain, wanted Giles to play in that Test [in Brisbane].

You mean the guy who hadn't had FC cricket for 10 months before he arrived in Oz was bowling better at that time? FFS!!

It's easy to call Fletcher a prat, and with the benefit of hindsight, he was past his sell-by date as of the first test at the Gabba. But PLEASE let us not forget what he achieved as England's coach

Basil wrote:It's easy to call Fletcher a prat, and with the benefit of hindsight, he was past his sell-by date as of the first test at the Gabba. But PLEASE let us not forget what he achieved as England's coach

Absolutely Bas. Theres no doubt he became way too introverted and pick his favourites towards the end of his tenure though.

He should have gone before the start of the 2006 season in England. Might have meant we only lost the Ashes 3 - 0!

Basil wrote:He should have gone before the start of the 2006 season in England. Might have meant we only lost the Ashes 3 - 0!

Bas, if you guys hadn't crumbled at Adelaide, the last 3 tests would have been a different kettle of fish all together.

tac wrote:

Basil wrote:He should have gone before the start of the 2006 season in England. Might have meant we only lost the Ashes 3 - 0!

Bas, if you guys hadn't crumbled at Adelaide, the last 3 tests would have been a different kettle of fish all together.

I totally agree (my last post was slightly tongue in cheek). If we had come away from Adelaide no worse than 1 - 0 down or had even levelled the series, I think we would have had a chance of coming away with a drawn series - which was my prediction for some months previously.

Anyway, here's to 2009! And, it's goodnight from me.

Interesting that he says he wanted Matt Prior instead of Chris Read on the Ashes tour. I always thought Fletcher was a bit of a Prior sceptic.

On the issue of Giles v Panesar, Fletcher knew nothing about what made a good spin bowler, and he saw a spinner primarily as someone who could keep the runs down whilst the quicks did the damage at the other end. He says that Monty didnt have an arm ball. Err, yes he did. Anyway, an arm ball isnt nearly as potent a weapon as extra spin.

It's sad because I thought he was such a good coach up until that last Ashes tour.

he had an appalling team led it seems by a tippler

horace wrote:he had an appalling team led it seems by a tippler

A dysfunctional team, lead by a p*** artist and a coach who picked players he liked personally rather than those with good records or proven skill.

No doubt Fletch turned things around for England in the latter stages of Nasser's captaincy before things really took off when Vaughan became captain. I think it was a combination of good captains and a good coach, Fletch doesn't deserve all the credit for England's run of victories.

S F Barnes wrote: Fletch doesn't deserve all the credit for England's run of victories.

Maybe not, but by the same token he then doesn't deserve all the brickbats that he's had for the shambles of the last Ashes tour.

tac wrote:

Basil wrote:He should have gone before the start of the 2006 season in England. Might have meant we only lost the Ashes 3 - 0!

Bas, if you guys hadn't crumbled at Adelaide, the last 3 tests would have been a different kettle of fish all together.

Aye - they might have gone into a 5th day.

He didn't pick Monty because he didn't have an arm ball????? He's a $%#%ing spinner you fat-faced fool!!! Surely your primary concern should be whether he can spin the ball or not????

Ashley Giles FFS..............

bliksem wrote:He didn't pick Monty because he didn't have an arm ball????? He's a $%#%ing spinner you fat-faced fool!!! Surely your primary concern should be whether he can spin the ball or not????

Ashley Giles FFS..............

Yeah, but Gilo offered the full range of arm balls and straight ones, and he was great when he took the spin off it as well.

"It simply had to be Giles," says Fletcher in his forthcoming autobiography Behind The Shades. "He was bowling much better than Panesar at the time. Crucially, Flintoff, the captain, wanted Giles to play in that Test [in Brisbane].

So Fletcher picked Giles, but wait, no, it was Flintoff? I'm confused - who exactly is being scapegoated here?

It's all a complex plan. Fletcher is, but isn't, bothered about being criticised. Fletcher did, but didn't, select the team. Fletcher wanted Giles, but wanted Panesar as well. It's his way of talking absolute shit to try and deflect the crticism which he frankly warranted. No-one moaned about Giles' selection after Brisbane, they moaned about it from an hour before when Agnew spilled the beans, and every minute thereafter to this point.

Fletcher's proven himself to be a right back-stabbing ****** with this autobiography.

.....And it hasnt even been released yet!

Quothing further:

"Something also happened that which I had not seen before when some senior players not on the management team approached me and pleaded that Giles be picked," he added. "Not one of the management group even hesitated in nominating Giles.

I recall that Geraint Jones was on that management group. What a horrible old incestuous caper it all was.

Reading between the lines Monty can't have been all that popular- probably didn't drink and shag enough.

Eric Air Emu wrote:Quothing further:

"Something also happened that which I had not seen before when some senior players not on the management team approached me and pleaded that Giles be picked," he added. "Not one of the management group even hesitated in nominating Giles.

I recall that Geraint Jones was on that management group. What a horrible old incestuous caper it all was.

Reading between the lines Monty can't have been all that popular- probably didn't drink and shag enough.

Hmmmm.......there were a couple of occasions last winter when the body language between Fred and Monty didn't seem great.

Basil wrote:

Eric Air Emu wrote:Quothing further:

"Something also happened that which I had not seen before when some senior players not on the management team approached me and pleaded that Giles be picked," he added. "Not one of the management group even hesitated in nominating Giles.

I recall that Geraint Jones was on that management group. What a horrible old incestuous caper it all was.

Reading between the lines Monty can't have been all that popular- probably didn't drink and shag enough.

Hmmmm.......there were a couple of occasions last winter when the body language between Fred and Monty didn't seem great.

When Monty got spanked by Gilly, Freddies response was very poor . . . he should have let the lad have another over.

Perhaps he (Andy) doesn't like rag heads.

DCOM

Mind you that was Blind Freddie captaincy all over - a tendency to panic. He even took his mate Harmison off at one stage after Harmi had at last shown some form, after one unofficial warning from the ump about running on the pitch.