England blame Pietersen for Ashes hammering

[minestrone]

It must be really tough and demoralising on the other batsmen around him who are working their arses off trying to dig England out a hole and thinking "is he going to be bothered today" when he walks out.

Pietersen could not be arsed from day one, I could see that from the first press conference, he was got at easily by the Australians when he should have been one of the ones standing up in the team. When you are abroad and down in a series you need strong team players and he isn't one. He is obviously hated in the team as well and for good reasons. Best thing England have done for a while.

Although I am glad his name will hang about the team for a while disrupting the new squad with the press always screaming for his return.

[Mich the Tester]

It must be really tough and demoralising on the other batsmen around him who are working their arses off trying to dig England out a hole and thinking "is he going to be bothered today" when he walks out.

Pietersen could not be arsed from day one, I could see that from the first press conference, he was got at easily by the Australians when he should have been one of the ones standing up in the team. When you are abroad and down in a series you need strong team players and he isn't one. He is obviously hated in the team as well and for good reasons. Best thing England have done for a while.

Although I am glad his name will hang about the team for a while disrupting the new squad with the press always screaming for his return.

In any team, a strong squad and good management has to be able to handle a maverick because that's often the guy who can do something unexpected and change a game. If the current England management can't handle KP, imagine if they were confronted with Ian Botham in his prime; not exactly a conformist either. Anyway, according to other players in the press he wasn't a problem on tour. Of course, what they say behind his back might be different.

[Ticktock]

In any team, a strong squad and good management has to be able to handle a maverick because that's often the guy who can do something unexpected and change a game.

Agreed, you can't just be a silly goose and expect everyone to be an iceman. He might act like some sort of jester on the field of play, but as long as he isn't a viper spreading dissent then manage him in place. Real life isn't like Hollywood.

[doodab]

Well, they had a bad Ashes series, after several successful years. I can't help feeling that somebody in England has pushed the panic button and the Australians are laughing their arses off. Not saying KP should be an instant selection (nobody should), but shutting out the possibility altogether is stupid.

I think there is more to it than simple form. There was all that stuff with the saffers before and I think perhaps he's a disruptive influence and the team as a whole may be better off without him.

[shaunbhoy]

Poor decision, and when the middle order fail next winter, people will be asking where KP is. Unless England have another world-class, game-changing batsman playing cricket in South Africe that we just haven't claimed as English yet

ftfy

[Mich the Tester]

I think there is more to it than simple form. There was all that stuff with the saffers before and I think perhaps he's a disruptive influence and the team as a whole may be better off without him.

Right now, 'the team' doesn't exist. They will have to pick the players for the next series of matches and that will be 'the team'. In picking the players, they should pick the best available and then bloody well manage them to make sure they play well together; if one bloke is a bit of a dick then you need a strong captain who will stand up to him and tell him straight 'you are acting like a dick, sort it out'. That's what captains have to do sometimes.

[Mich the Tester]

ftfy

The nationality issue is a red herring. At the top level of sport you pick the best players who are eligible according to the laws of the game. Any other policy and it isn't the top level.

[minestrone]

I never knew 'can't be arsed' was the definition of maverick.

Australia got him out time and time again with the same simple tactics, he could not be arsed changing what he was doing, just punting out the most obvious lame efforts.

Complete let down and he was already in the last chance salon with his texting stuff, privately there has always been an issue with Pietersen from certain players and it was no different this winter.

[Mich the Tester]

I never knew 'can't be arsed' was the definition of maverick.

Australia got him out time and time again with the same simple tactics, he could not be arsed changing what he was doing, just punting out the most obvious lame efforts.

Maybe so, but excluding him permanently is silly.

[doodab]

Right now, 'the team' doesn't exist. They will have to pick the players for the next series of matches and that will be 'the team'. In picking the players, they should pick the best available and then bloody well manage them to make sure they play well together; if one bloke is a bit of a dick then you need a strong captain who will stand up to him and tell him straight 'you are acting like a dick, sort it out'. That's what captains have to do sometimes.

And sometimes you don't pick them because it ain't going to work and you need to cut your losses. Alex Ferguson got rid of David Beckham, Jaap Stam, Paul Ince, Ruud van Nistleroy and Roy Keane over the years, all top players, and no one would call him a weak manager.