source:bbc

Flintoff let me down - Fletcher

Flintoff enjoys a soft drink in the West Indies Former England coach Duncan Fletcher says Andrew Flintoff "let him down" with his World Cup drinking antics. Flintoff fell off a pedalo and was one of six England players fined following a drinking session after England's defeat to New Zealand in St Lucia. The all-rounder had also been warned as to his future conduct during the Ashes defeat when he was England's captain. And Fletcher told the Daily Mail: "I supported Andrew but he let me down in an area that he had real control over." Flintoff captained England to a 5-0 Ashes defeat in Australia in the absence of Michael Vaughan. And he was sacked as England vice-captain at the World Cup and banned for a game after the pedalo incident following the six-wicket defeat to New Zealand. England then failed to progress beyond the Super Eight stage at the World Cup in the West Indies, prompting Fletcher to resign. I spent two years (coaching) in county cricket and I'd like to do that again Duncan Fletcher "I've supported a lot of players but Andrew drank again at the World Cup after what had happened in Australia while I was taking a pasting," Fletcher continued. "I don't regret making him captain. "The problem was, in the absence of Vaughan, there were so many unknowns. "It's fascinating to wonder how good (Andrew) Strauss might have been as captain. "But an imponderable is, how bad might Fred (Flintoff) have been with the whole drinking thing if he hadn't had the responsibility of the captaincy? And would he have taken Steve Harmison with him?" The Zimbabwe-born coach is also hoping for a return to county cricket, having been at Glamorgan before taking up his post with England. "I spent two years in county cricket and I'd like to do that again," he said. "I think I have become a hell of a better coach since my time at Glamorgan and I know how to handle situations better. "Having gained the experience I gained with England, it would be nice to go back and put into practice what I perceive to be missing in county cricket."

Former England coach's revelations in new book
Fletcher - Flintoff let me down
Cricinfo staff
October 27, 2007

The tabloids piled into Andrew Flintoff during the World Cup © Daily Star

Have you say on Fletcher's comments
Duncan Fletcher says Andrew Flintoff "let him down" with his drinking at the World Cup. Fletcher left his job as England coach following the team's showing in the Caribbean in April, where they didn't progress past the Super Eights.
Flintoff was one of six players fined after drinking in a nightclub after losing to New Zealand and 48 hours before playing Canada. But attention focussed on Flintoff who fell off a pedalo in the early hours of the morning.
Flintoff, who had already been warned about his conduct during the disastrous Ashes of 2006, was subsequently stripped of the vice captaincy.
Fletcher has now revealed his thoughts about the matter in his new autobiography, Behind the Shades.
"I've supported a lot of players," he wrote, "and I supported Andrew but then he drank again at the World Cup after what had happened in Australia while I was taking a pasting.
"If he does ring me when he sees what I have written I will say, 'At the end of the day, Fred, you let me down in an area that you had real control over'."
Fletcher also received retrospective criticism, along with the England management, for making Flintoff captain ahead of the batsman Andrew Strauss. Fletcher, however, remains unrepentant, arguing that Flintoff needed the captaincy to curb his behaviour.
"I don't regret making him captain. The problem was, in the absence of Vaughan, there were so many unknowns.
It's fascinating to wonder how good Strauss might have been as captain. But an imponderable is, how bad might Fred have been with the whole drinking thing if he hadn't had the responsibility of the captaincy? And would he have taken Steve Harmison with him?"
Fletcher has now set his sights on making a return to county coaching. He had previously worked with Glamorgan before England. He had previously expressed an interest in working with another international side. "I spent two years in county cricket and I'd like to do that again.
"I think I have become a hell of a better coach since my time at Glamorgan and I know how to handle situations better. Having gained the experience I gained with England, it would be nice to go back and put into practice what I perceive to be missing in county cricket."
© Cricinfo

nice post lol he was drunk man thts y coach left the team

Former England coach's revelations in new book
Flintoff had drinking problems in Australia too
Cricinfo staff
October 28, 2007

Duncan Fletcher's autobiography is expected to throw up more details on Andrew Flintoff's drinking problems © Getty Images

Andrew Flintoff's drinking problem during the World Cup has been written about in detail, with Duncan Fletcher, the England coach, saying that Flintoff "let him down" during the tournament. Now, further details about Flintoff's penchant for alcohol is expected to be revealed in Fletcher's new autobiography, Behind the Shades, which is likely to claim that a practice session on the tour to Australia earlier in the year had to be cancelled due to Flintoff's problem.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, the autobiography will provide details on a net session which was supposed to have been held on February 1, 2007, a day before England's penultimate round-robin match of the triangular CB Series. The practice was eventually cancelled as Flintoff had been drinking.
Ironically, England creamed Australia by 92 runs the next day, breaking a run of nine successive defeats through the Ashes Tests and the one-day series that followed. Flintoff's contribution wasn't much - he scored 3 and took 1 for 47 off eight overs - but England were saved by a maiden one-day century by Ed Joyce, while Liam Plunkett and Sajid Mahmood bowled fine spells with the new ball. That win sparked off a spectacular run, with England qualifying for the final and then beating Australia twice more to lift the trophy.
According to the daily, Fletcher's book is expected to detail the discussions that were held within the team management on February 1. There was the option of going public with the incident, but the management eventually decided not to take ay action. The decision seemed to have paid off when England won the CB Series, but in the World Cup the problem resurfaced in a major way, with Flintoff being one of six players fined after drinking in a nightclub after losing to New Zealand and 48 hours before playing Canada. But attention focussed on Flintoff who fell off a pedalo in the early hours of the morning. He was later stripped of his vice captaincy.
The autobiography is also expected to reveal that Flintoff stayed in the Australian dressing room till midnight after England had been beaten in a demoralising second Test in Adelaide. England made 551 for 6 in their first innings, but were bundled out for 129 in the second and ultimately lost by six wickets.
© Cricinfo

source:bbc

Flintoff 'was drunk at practice'

Flintoff is currently recuperating after undergoing ankle surgery Former England coach Duncan Fletcher has said a training session was cancelled because Andrew Flintoff was under the influence of alcohol. The incident happened during last winter's Ashes tour to Australia where Flintoff was captain. Fletcher told the Daily Mail: "You just hope the players do not let you down. Sadly Flintoff did. "We arranged a fielding practice in Sydney. He turned up still under the influence of alcohol." Interview: Former England captains Graham Gooch and Alec Stewart Flintoff's agent Neil Fairbrother refused to comment on the revelations and the 29-year-old England star has gone to the USA before starting his rehabilitation from an ankle operation in Holland earlier this month. Fletcher added: "Flintoff was in such a state he could not throw properly. He had to pass the ball to the bloke next to him to do so. "When it came to trying to catch the ball I honestly thought I was going to hurt him, so uncoordinated was he. "I was fuming and stopped the practice early. Remember: this was the England captain in this state. I had to calm down and think what to do." Fletcher revealed he seriously considered dropping Flintoff but eventually decided against it to avoid negative publicity. But he said that Flintoff disappointed him with his World Cup drinking antics. MC Flintoff fell off a pedalo and was one of six England players fined following a drinking session after England's defeat to New Zealand in St Lucia. The all-rounder had also been warned as to his future conduct during the Ashes defeat when he was England captain. "I supported Andrew but he let me down in an area that he had real control over," he said. He was sacked as England vice-captain at the World Cup and banned for a game after the pedalo incident following the six-wicket defeat to New Zealand. England then failed to progress beyond the Super Eight stage at the World Cup in the West Indies, prompting Fletcher to resign. I spent two years (coaching) in county cricket and I'd like to do that again Duncan Fletcher "I've supported a lot of players but Andrew drank again at the World Cup after what had happened in Australia while I was taking a pasting," Fletcher continued. "I don't regret making him captain. "The problem was, in the absence of Michael Vaughan, there were so many unknowns. "It's fascinating to wonder how good (Andrew) Strauss might have been as captain. "But an imponderable is, how bad might Fred (Flintoff) have been with the whole drinking thing if he hadn't had the responsibility of the captaincy? And would he have taken Steve Harmison with him?" The Zimbabwe-born coach is also hoping for a return to county cricket, having been at Glamorgan before taking up his post with England. "I spent two years in county cricket and I'd like to do that again," he said. "I think I have become a hell of a better coach since my time at Glamorgan and I know how to handle situations better. "Having gained the experience I gained with England, it would be nice to go back and put into practice what I perceive to be missing in county cricket."

Duncan Fletcher's revelations in Behind the Shades
Flintoff: too drunk to throw, let alone catch
Cricinfo staff
October 29, 2007

'He was in such a state that he could not throw properly' © Getty Images

Andrew Flintoff turned up to a practice session on the last Ashes tour 'still under the influence of alcohol' and 'in such a state that he could not throw properly' according to his coach, Duncan Fletcher, in his forthcoming autobiography, Behind the Shades.
Serialised in the Daily Mail, Fletcher's book has exposed Flintoff's drinking as being out of control during England's tour of Australia last winter, never more so than in the one-day series following the Tests.
"It came to my attention that, after one of the one-day matches, Flintoff had spent the whole night drinking with Ian Botham and had only got to bed at 7am the following morning," Fletcher wrote. "We went to Sydney for a vital match against Australia and a fielding practice was arranged for 10am.
"Flintoff turned up still under the influence of alcohol. We were doing one drill called the 'cut and pull' with two groups either side of me, requiring an accurate throw from one side so that I could cut.
"Flintoff was in such a state that he could not throw properly. He had to pass the ball to the bloke next to him to do so."
Ironically England won that game, though a fuming Fletcher challenged Flintoff and asked him: "Why should I not drop you as England captain?" Flintoff didn't respond and after "stewing in his room all day" Fletcher decided against dropping him.
Fletcher also admits that he had doubts about selecting Flintoff as captain for the Ashes, ahead of Andrew Strauss who he believed was Michael Vaughan's "natural successor".
"Yes, he is a fine cricketer and would be influential in any side, but the areas which concerned me were his tactical nous and man management under pressure," Fletcher said. "And there was always going to be a worry about his self-discipline.
"Sadly, I was soon to discover he was unsure of what true leadership is."
Flintoff, who denies he has a drink problem, hasn't commented on Fletcher's revelations and is spending seven weeks in America recuperating from his third ankle operation.
© Cricinfo

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Nixon rallies to Flintoff defence

Flintoff faces seven months of recovery after ankle surgery All-rounder Andrew Flintoff does not have a drink problem, says former England team-mate Paul Nixon. Former England coach Duncan Fletcher said an Ashes training session last winter was cancelled because Flintoff was under the influence of alcohol. Nixon was part of England's one-day squad in Australia and at the World Cup in the Caribbean that followed. "I don't think (Flintoff's) got a drink problem," the wicket-keeper told BBC Radio 5 Live. 606: DEBATE It is now quite clear that Flintoff was made captain of England for the wrong reasons MC "I think the pressure of the Australia series - Freddie's such a competitive guy and a passionate guy, he wants to win every game ferociously for England. "I think that the hiding they got in the Ashes really affected him more than people realise." And of the ex-England coach, Nixon added: "Duncan is a fair man, a very proud man. "He's seen very differently with the press to how he is in the dressing room. Duncan takes things very, very personally because he's got his own standards." Former England captain Graham Gooch told 5 Live: "Duncan Fletcher has written a book, and obviously it helps book sales, but when you're made captain of England and you have the highest honour in the game, you have to set the leadership standards. "The most important thing when you're captain is you have to gain respect. If these allegations are true, that's disappointing, because you don't gain respect by behaving like that." Fellow ex-England skipper Alec Stewart added: "If there was a problem it should have been dealt with there and then, and Duncan is now laying things out in the open which is obviously going to cause plenty of discussion."

Former coach takes aim at Botham's 'unbelievable' views
Fletcher blasts Botham's influence
Cricinfo staff
October 30, 2007

Duncan Fletcher on Ian Botham: 'He thinks the players listen to him, but they do not' © Martin Williamson

Ian Botham had an unhealthy influence on Andrew Flintoff and has long caused difficulties in the England set-up, according to England's former coach Duncan Fletcher in the latest extract of his autobiography, Behind the Shades.
"It did worry me that Botham influenced Andrew Flintoff far too much on that [2006-07] Ashes tour," Fletcher wrote. Although the pair are good friends - Botham has long been a hero of Flintoff - Fletcher said that other members of the England side don't hold him in the same high regard.
"He thinks the players listen to him, but they do not," Fletcher said. "Often you would go into the dressing-room and hear the players in exasperation saying things like: 'Have you heard what Botham is saying about the wicket?' Botham's commentary has long caused problems."
After England's match against Canada in the World Cup, England were invited by Rod Bransgrove - the Hampshire chairman - onto his boat for a party. "In the dressing room...Kevin Pietersen, who knows Bransgrove well from Hampshire, was asking the other players who was going on the boat," Fletcher wrote. "At least four or five of the senior players asked: 'Is Botham going?'
"Pietersen found out Botham was indeed going and, when he relayed this in the dressing-room, a unanimous call of 'no thanks' rang out. None of the players went. For once they were standing up to someone in the media."
Fletcher and Botham's relationship "deteriorated over time", and tensions between the pair were constantly kindled by Botham's "unbelievable" views. "Back in 2004 in Jamaica, Sky called a meeting with Michael Vaughan and me, intended to improve the relationship between the broadcasters and the team," Fletcher wrote. "Present at a restaurant, owned by a relation of Michael Holding, were Holding himself, executive producer Barney Francis and David Lloyd.
"It was interesting that Botham was not there because most of the conversation centred around him as he appeared the one obstacle to improving the relationship. Some critics said he was inconsistent in his thoughts and did not do enough investigative work before a day's commentary."

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Boycott joins attacks on Fletcher

Boycott's outspoken manner clashed with Fletcher's restraint Geoffrey Boycott says coach Duncan Fletcher should have helped Andrew Flintoff if he thought the England all-rounder had a drink problem. Fletcher's new book details an incident when Flintoff arrived at practice in Australia incapacitated by alcohol. But Boycott told BBC Radio 5Live: "He's a sour man with a sour book. "You're there to help with batting, bowling, conduct or way of life. If Flintoff had a problem he (Fletcher) should have done something about it." Interview: Geoff Boycott 606: DEBATE Should what goes on behind closed doors remain there? Phil G Fletcher's book is being serialised in an English tabloid, but while there has been no reaction from Flintoff himself, there has been plenty of debate within the game about the revelations. Fletcher pulled no punches in his description of Flintoff's state during a nets session in Sydney in February. Ironically, Flintoff captained the team to a win in the Commonwealth Bank Series final the following day at the end of an arduous tour which had included the 5-0 Ashes drubbing. But Fletcher wrote: "When it came to trying to catch the ball I honestly thought I was going to hurt him, so uncoordinated was he." TMS BLOG I really don't think it was a cynical ploy by Fletcher to sell more copies of his book Jonathan Agnew Boycott, a former England captain and Yorkshire star who hit more than 8,000 Test runs, came back at the Zimbabwean. He said: "I don't think anyone would buy the book unless he mentioned some of the big names. "So he had a go at Andrew, Steve Harmison and past legends like [Sir Ian] Botham and myself. "I was always going to be in the black book because I was the first person to say it was time for him to go, that he was past his sell-by date. "But what will get people more than anything else is him having a go at Flintoff and Harmison when he was their coach. These comments from Fletcher have upset him. I'm disappointed because there is no bigger team player than Andrew Flintoff's dad Colin "You're entitled to your opinion in a free society, but don't take the moral high ground as soon as you're finished. "I would try to be loyal to the players if I was their coach." Boycott said Fletcher had never really appreciated the job that journalists such as him - a Test Match Special commentator and Daily Telegraph columnist - had to do. "When you work in the media your job is to give your views to the public, not be his cheerleader," he said. If Fletcher felt he had been unfairly criticised by a journalist, you would see him "deliberately walking around all day looking so glum... as if he had piles," added Boycott. Flintoff's father Colin told the Lancashire Evening Post: "I'm disappointed Duncan Fletcher has betrayed Andrew's confidence. "These comments from Fletcher have upset him. I'm disappointed because there is no bigger team player than Andrew. "He is a loyal person and he has always given his heart and soul to England. "He has always played for the team, wanting to help those around him. He is that type of person, putting the team first."