Should Duncan Fletcher Go?

simon redshaw · Post by **simon redshaw** » Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:15 pm

I wondered whether you thought it was about time Our Beloved Cricket Coach - Duncan Fletcher was given the sack or resigned.

Personally, I think its about time he did the honourable thing and resigned. Since the Ashes England's record in both the Tests and One-day matches has been apalling. I know the team reached a climax in a way with the Ashes win and there have been many injuries, but this team is not likely to win the Ashes or get anywhere in the Cricket World Cup.

Not all, but a lot of the blame for this I feel should be placed at the feet of Duncan Fletcher and his poor coaching and media skills. In my view he is utterly useless as an England coach and the success before and during the Ashes was not done to him but to the captaincy of Michael Vaughan. Also, many of decisions in conjunction with the selectors are totally baffling like keeping Geraint Jones when he is no way the best wicketkeeper in the country or anything like the best batting wicketkeeper.

Lastly, Fletcher doesn't inspire the team in the way a Tom Moody, Bob Woolmer etc can do and until some changes are made and some get and go and fighting spirit is put into the England cricket team it will continue to struggle. Not to mention the apalling bowling last Saturday when 42 extras were given away. :twisted: :twisted:

Gonzo · Post by **Gonzo** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 1:07 pm

Sorry Simon, but I can't agree with you on this one. Duncan Fletcher is the best thing to have happened to English cricket for years. With first Hussain and now Vaughan he has transformed our fortunes.

Not his fault that half the side are injured. Sure he's not media friendly, but that doesn't bother me. It's what he does in the nets and the dressing room that matters, not in front of a press conference.

We need a fit Vaughan back ASAP. I do agree he's a big part of our success. But Fletcher should stay.

simon redshaw · Post by **simon redshaw** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:49 pm

Gonzo, he may have had initial success but I am afraid the wheels have come off in the last year and England's pathetic performances in the one-day matches can't all be down to injuries. For one thing there is a lack of zip and get up and go about this England team I don't see what Fletcher is doing to inspire the team and get it out of its current malaise. I also don't think Fletcher can take that much credit for the previous success of the team.

As we lose match after match even with some of our top players available we are supposed to keep a coach who can't inspire the team and can't even make sure the team gets the fundamentals like bowling straight not giving away a lot of extras, decent batting etc. I also think the amount of injuries we suffer is down to bad training.

I would like to see an England team that at least competed and that is not what we are largely getting at the moment. I mean Sri Lanka are not world-beaters but we are getting totally dominated by them at the moment. So I think it must have a lot to do with Fletcher and he should go. And with him the likes of Geraint Jones, Mahmood etc. How the latter even gets into the England team is anbody's guess. His bowling was useless today and he would struggle to get into a Lancashire team.

TigerTimmy · Post by **TigerTimmy** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 12:10 am

England's main strength during the Ashes was our 4 fast bowlers (Hoggard, Harmi, Jones and Freddie). We're now playing without 2 of them and with a very tired and overworked Freddie (until he got injured).

Plus we're missing Giles, Trescothick and Vaughan. Whilst the players coming in are good they cant be expected to be as good as the injured player when on top form yet. This will be good experience for them (somewhat like the tour to Aus for the England rugby lads).

simon redshaw · Post by **simon redshaw** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 12:29 am

I know we have and still are missing a number of key players and that the newer players are getting experience but I don't see many of those making a case for themselves to egt into the World Cup team. Only Jamie Dalrymple of the newcomers to the one day team has put his hand up and said I should be considered. And Tim Bresnan maybe also but none of the others and how much longer can we go on experimenting and losing game after game!! Monty in the Test team.

I sound like an old misery on this and I don't mean to be but I see very little positives in the England team at the moment and I don't see much improvement in the next 8 months!! I may be wrong though. Picking a decent wicketkeeper batsman would be a start!! :roll: :roll:

westwinds31 · Post by **westwinds31** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:33 am

Simon please...you cannot be serious ??? Why do we do this in this country ? A bad patch and all of a sudden the answer is to get rid of the coach. No way !

Gonzo · Post by **Gonzo** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:36 am

Simon, I'm certainly with you in agonisng over England's current performances. We shouldn't be getting thrashed by Sri Lanka!!

However, I blame the players. I believe Fletcher prepares them well and that individual players need to stand up and be counted and imporove their performances.

simon redshaw · Post by **simon redshaw** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:03 am

I am not convinced still about Fletcher but I'll put that to one side for the moment. I agree with you Gonzo that we shouldn't be thrashed by the likes of Sri Lanka.

The individual players do need to stand up and improve their performances but if some of them aren't good enough as appears the case they should be dropped rather than just kept in the team. Players on form like Reid are being ignored and I don't think that is acceptable. I'll put some blame on the selectors as a whole as they are sticking with certain players who aren't fit to tie the bootlaces of the Aussie team. The latter must be wondering how they got it wrong last time and laughing their socks off at our ineptitude.

BTW next up is Pakistan who are ranked in the top 5 best one day teams!! :roll: :roll:

simon redshaw · Post by **simon redshaw** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 9:11 am

West, some coaches like OBNSG aren't worth their salt and should go. I can't see the point generally of sticking with coaches that aren't bringing the results.

Basically, many people like myself are paying £30+ and a lot more for the sort of rubbish that England are producing in the cricket. Would you be happy with seeing that? O.k. we are seeing some great stuff from Sri Lanka but we also expect a competitive England side. I was pretty upset sitting there and watching England play yesterday.

Apart from Sri Lanka's performance and the odd good perfomance from an England player yesterday, the highlights of the day at the Oval yesterday for me was seeing Ian Botham as I was queing at the Alec Stewart gate and more than the odd pretty lady. :D :D That probably somes it up!!

Gonzo · Post by **Gonzo** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:13 am

How's this for a world cup winning XI?

1 Vaughan
2 Trescothick
3 Strauss
4 Pietersen
5 Flintoff
6 Collingwood
7 Prior
8 Dalrymple
9 Gough
10 S Jones
11 Harmison

simon redshaw · Post by **simon redshaw** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 11:28 am

Now that's better, Gonzo!! If we could get everyone fit in that team we would stand much more of a chance. Goughie said he should be picked also!! :D :D I would like to see Alistair Cook given a run just to give the likes of Strauss a jolt and to see what he can do at one-day level. Dalrymple looks impressive for both his batting and bowling and I agree that Matt Prior is also worth a go. I worry about Simon Jones though.

How do we get them all to perform on the field? :roll: :roll:

Tim _Tim_Tiger_Lily · Post by **Tim _Tim_Tiger_Lily** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:49 pm

He shud av gone. moore is so much better!

Kinoulton · Post by **Kinoulton** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:56 pm

Blinkin' heck!

Digging up a two-year-old thread.

That's some effort.

Gonzo · Post by **Gonzo** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:42 pm

Digging up a two year old thread?

Sounds like an episode of Time Team!

h's dad · Post by **h's dad** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:50 pm

… and generating a chain of posts as well!

Is there a sweepstake going on how many new posts it will attract?