Michael Clarke's hypocrisy?

This is in a week when he bought his girlfriend Lara Bingle a $350,000 Aston Martin. He also paid over $100,000 for her engagement ring. Is she worth it?

But he's rabbiting on about the need for extra pay, and this in a climate of Aussie demands for fewer promotional appearances.

Hefty workload hurts families, says Michael Clarke Jon Pierik

December 09, 2008 12:00am
AUSTRALIAN vice-captain Michael Clarke has urged administrators to reduce player workloads to safeguard their family life.

Clarke endorsed skipper Ricky Ponting's claim that cricketers' schedules were too full, an issue that will dominate discussions for the new memorandum of understanding between players and Cricket Australia.

"I think the major issue with the players at the moment is that because of the amount of cricket that is going on, and that includes all forms of the game - Twenty20, Test cricket one-day cricket, all the different competitions - I think guys careers are not going to last as long as they used to," Clarke said yesterday.

"That's the worrying factor that the players feel that they are playing so much of all forms of the game, plus, yes, we have appearances we need to do, not only for Cricket Australia but you have your own personal sponsors that you have got to do appearances for.

"There is not enough time, the boys are saying there probably is not enough time to spend with family back at home.

"Like I say, I would never complain about our job because we are the lucky ones, we have fantastic lifestyle but, in saying that, in the next 15 months the guys are spending 10, 11 months without seeing their wives and kids.

"If you have got a one-year-old baby, a six-month-old baby that you don't feel capable of taking around the world, that's a long time you are spending away from your wife and daughter.

"It's certainly not about we want more money for less work, I think it's just about trying to come up with some sort of plan with Cricket Australia."

International players' association chief executive Tim May has long been critical of the crowded schedule, claiming it will drive overworked players to retire early.

Clarke said it was unlikely players would bypass lucrative domestic Twenty20 tournaments, such as the Indian Premier League, to spend more time with their families.

"I think at the end of the day the players will continue to play in whatever premier league there is," Clarke told Sydney radio station 2KY.

"I am very interested to see over the next couple of years how all these tournaments can go forward and yet you still can represent your country in all forms of the game."

There will be much to debate between the Australian Cricketers' Association and CA when talks begin this month.

The ACA is expected to ask for a greater share of overall revenue, which has escalated in recent years because of lucrative television deals and the rise in popularity of Twenty20 cricket.

But Australian players have expressed great concern over the number of public and sponsor appearances - up to 22 per year - they have to fulfil under their CA contracts.

Clarke said the changing nature of the game meant CA contracts could soon become redundant.

"It's going to be interesting to see how contracts work in two years' time, if you still get a Cricket Australia contract," he said.

You forgot the 'I don't hate MC but.....' at the start.

Bingle clearly swallows.

Picking on Clarke in this one is a bit stoopid Red. (Yes, I know, redundancy galore in that statement) He's one of the few players who hasn't -yet - whored himself to the IPL t20 wankfest.

Zat wrote:Picking on Clarke in this one is a bit stoopid Red. (Yes, I know, redundancy galore in that statement) He's one of the few players who hasn't -yet - whored himself to the IPL t20 wankfest.

He fully intended to until Lara's father fell gravely ill.

You made that up to save face . . . .silly qunt (pretending to be a silly slag) . . .

Red wrote:

Zat wrote:Picking on Clarke in this one is a bit stoopid Red. (Yes, I know, redundancy galore in that statement) He's one of the few players who hasn't -yet - whored himself to the IPL t20 wankfest.

He fully intended to until Lara's father fell gravely ill.

Proof please. A link will do. Or do the voices inside your head come from Michael Clarke?

Heard crash on the radio bemoaning the MC call. I want a pay rise fror having to be inflicted by the self serving likes of crash, the kid, bunk, nicholas, greig, fleas and roy

IPL: Michael Clarke Puts Ill Father Before IPL

Michael Clarke will one of the few high-profile Aussies not playing in the IPL. The reason - his father who is battling Cancer. Clarke would like spend time with his ill father as he is recovering from chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Clarke has said he might take part in the future editions of the tournament but right now his family - mother, sister and father were his priority.

And now that the coast is clear as of this October.


Michael Clarke is game for IPL


Melbourne: Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke has indicated that he may figure in the second edition of the Indian Premier League.

Clarke said he was approached by IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi, who urged him and teammate Mitchell Johnson to play in the next edition, tentatively scheduled for April next year.

“He told me the other night he wants me to play. I have always said I definitely want to be part of the IPL.

“It’s just about timing for me. I think we have some one-dayers in Pakistan, but the following year we are available for the whole time,” Clarke was quoted as saying by the Herald Sun.



He fully supported the IPL and wished it all the success. He hoped the people of India would understand his decision to stay out.

So when he is busy with other cricket, he isn't interested. When the cricketing coast is clear he is . . . seems like a man who doesn't want to burn himself out . . . .

tac wrote:So when he is busy with other cricket, he isn't interested. When the cricketing coast is clear he is . . . seems like a man who doesn't want to burn himself out . . . .

Surely it's the FTP and CA which decide when the coast is clear, not his particular predilections to playing a lucrative style of cricket.

Make no mistake, if his calendar was clear, he's not less disposed to earning the big bucks than the next man.

And if he can afford to lash out on obscenely expensive rings and cars for his girlfriend, he's not travelling that badly. For a weedy little guy with relatively ordinary looks, he makes a lot of money from advertising. This means that he can afford to at least skip an IPL for compassionate or other reasons. It doesn't make him less of a 'mercenary' than his peers though.

Thanks for finding the links.

Red wrote:And if he can afford to lash out on obscenely expensive rings and cars for his girlfriend, he's not travelling that badly. For a weedy little guy with relatively ordinary looks, he makes a lot of money from advertising.

You got green eyes, Red? You sound like you're jealous. WGAF what he spends his money on? And if he's got a nice-lloking girlfriend/fiancee with bodacious ta-tas, who may well know her way around a mattress, then good luck to him.

Zat wrote:Picking on Clarke in this one is a bit stoopid Red. (Yes, I know, redundancy galore in that statement) He's one of the few players who hasn't -yet - whored himself to the IPL t20 wankfest.

Zat, Heard during the recent India series AB and Ravi Shastri discussing this. Apparently MC has made himself available for the next IPL and will be featuring in the next interim auction.

Thanks JC.

Nobody likes a gloater.

zat,
thats harsh.

I'm not gloating, but it had to be done.

Graeme Smith is still available.

Zat wrote:I'm not gloating, but it had to be done.

Sure you aren't.

Has the heat got to you, old son? And it's comin' our way.

He's pretty dishy, too.

I hope MC buys a cheeky little Porsche to go with the Aston Martin and gives LB the biggest engagement ring from Tiffany's NY he can find. He earned that money and he deserves to spend it any which way he wants.

Puleez. Tell me no-one on this forum, given that kind of IPL offer, wouldn't wrestle with the notion of accepting it, at least.

Honour, integrity...money's the bottom line and when your shelf-life is limited, and in the real world, the IPL has to be an enormous temptation.

And MC's a Spiv and the next Aus captain, even if he does do that vomitous undies ad.

good for you ftse

skully wrote:

Zat wrote:I'm not gloating, but it had to be done.

Sure you aren't.

Has the heat got to you, old son? And it's comin' our way.

The heat? Why would the heat have got to me? It's only going to be 41 here today. At least 43 tomorrow. God knows what on Sunday. But it could be worse, I could be in Ivanhoe - I could drive there quicker than I could drive to Sydney - where it's going to reach 47 over the weekend.

If I'm not here after the weekend, take it as conclusive proof that puddles of butter can't type.