The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[OffStumpYorker]

M_S,

In terms of KP's comments about the IPL, one only has to look at the premiership footballers to see that they say things to feather thier own nests, look at Fabregas, last year Arsenal was the best club hed ever played for now he's employed by Man utd they are the best club hes ever played for.

I see KP's comment as something similar, with his IPL contract up for grabs at the end of Next season hes not going to turn round and call it an overhyped competition and risk alienating a employer and source of income, plus it will enhance his chances of more money if hes seen to be supporting it.

At the end of the day the IPL exists, and only a few top 'internationals' get the contracts beig US$1-2 million KP but that isnt per year its per 3 years. so the contract is worth maybe US$500-700K/year, which is about the same as his ECB contract.

In the end if he loses his ECB contract hes looking at around a 50-70% drop in annual earnings thats why he was so contrite on that staged youtube video, and any good agent would have pointed this out. Theres no way he can make up that type of drop by focusing on T20 leagues as all the others pay nothing like the IPL combined, BBL might be the second best payer but it wont be as much.

[Making_Splinters]

M_S,

In terms of KP's comments about the IPL, one only has to look at the premiership footballers to see that they say things to feather thier own nests, look at Fabregas, last year Arsenal was the best club hed ever played for now he's employed by Man utd they are the best club hes ever played for.

I see KP's comment as something similar, with his IPL contract up for grabs at the end of Next season hes not going to turn round and call it an overhyped competition and risk alienating a employer and source of income, plus it will enhance his chances of more money if hes seen to be supporting it.

At the end of the day the IPL exists, and only a few top 'internationals' get the contracts beig US$1-2 million KP but that isnt per year its per 3 years. so the contract is worth maybe US$500-700K/year, which is about the same as his ECB contract.

In the end if he loses his ECB contract hes looking at around a 50-70% drop in annual earnings thats why he was so contrite on that staged youtube video, and any good agent would have pointed this out. Theres no way he can make up that type of drop by focusing on T20 leagues as all the others pay nothing like the IPL combined, BBL might be the second best payer but it wont be as much.

OSY, he's been making the same noises for years now, he even went so far as to say that England were jealous of the IPL and attempted to have his contract with the ECB changed to include the ability for him to play in the IPL for the entire season.

Now the point is why is him saying the exact same supportive actually of any interest, the answer is quite simply that it serves to keep the KP story going because it is a cheap and easy source of content.

[Kim]

M_S,

In terms of KP's comments about the IPL, one only has to look at the premiership footballers to see that they say things to feather thier own nests, look at Fabregas, last year Arsenal was the best club hed ever played for now he's employed by Man utd they are the best club hes ever played for.

I see KP's comment as something similar, with his IPL contract up for grabs at the end of Next season hes not going to turn round and call it an overhyped competition and risk alienating a employer and source of income, plus it will enhance his chances of more money if hes seen to be supporting it.

At the end of the day the IPL exists, and only a few top 'internationals' get the contracts beig US$1-2 million KP but that isnt per year its per 3 years. so the contract is worth maybe US$500-700K/year, which is about the same as his ECB contract.

In the end if he loses his ECB contract hes looking at around a 50-70% drop in annual earnings thats why he was so contrite on that staged youtube video, and any good agent would have pointed this out. Theres no way he can make up that type of drop by focusing on T20 leagues as all the others pay nothing like the IPL combined, BBL might be the second best payer but it wont be as much.

How so? For every week his ECB contract keeps him away from the IPL he loses 165,000 pounds.

Cant see anything wrong in the exerpts from his latest interview - though again why did his advisers let him do it? In particular "The best players in Test cricket have got the best contracts in the IPL," he says. "You know that's where you build the brand." is a statement of fact.

It doesnt suggest that he plays tests just for money/to build a brand/ to get a great IPL deal. It just says the latter is a consequence of the former. Which it is.

[D/L]

Doubts about the sincerity of what D/L?

And this interview was given weeks - not days - before and does nothing more than reiterate what the player has said numerous times before and shown with his actions to be his opinions on the IPL and England, in short it's nothing new or unknown or even given in actual context...

The sincerity of someone who expresses two diametrically opposed viewpoints within a short space of time, M_S.

It is the choice of words in the interview that brings something new to the issue.

Which diametrically opposed view points, D/L?

And how is the choice of words new?

Giving voice to his wish to play a full season in the IPL, thereby making himself unavailable for England and also expressing a desire to effectively pick and choose which matches he would play for England, followed by saying he was willing to commit himself fully to England.

Those utterances seem fairly contradictory to me.

The words in the reporting of the interview were new to me, as I had not heard them before. I doubt many others had too before they read the report. The words chosen would have given many the impression that Pietersen was quite contemptuous of his recent commitment to England cricket.

[Making_Splinters]

Doubts about the sincerity of what D/L?

And this interview was given weeks - not days - before and does nothing more than reiterate what the player has said numerous times before and shown with his actions to be his opinions on the IPL and England, in short it's nothing new or unknown or even given in actual context...

The sincerity of someone who expresses two diametrically opposed viewpoints within a short space of time, M_S.

It is the choice of words in the interview that brings something new to the issue.

Which diametrically opposed view points, D/L?

And how is the choice of words new?

Giving voice to his wish to play a full season in the IPL, thereby making himself unavailable for England and also expressing a desire to effectively pick and choose which matches he would play for England, followed by saying he was willing to commit himself fully to England.

Those utterances seem fairly contradictory to me.

The words in the reporting of the interview were new to me, as I had not heard them before. I doubt many others had too before they read the report. The words chosen would have given many the impression that Pietersen was quite contemptuous of his recent commitment to England cricket.

How can one insincerely commit to playing all games?

You either do or you don't surely?

[D/L]

How can one insincerely commit to playing all games?

You either do or you don't surely?

By changing one’s mind later, perhaps knowing that one might, as one had changed it earlier, maybe?

[hopeforthebest]

There seems to be a suggestion floating around that Cook will take a more pragmatic approach to the KP situation as he will not want to start his captaincy with a much weakened team. Whether there's any truth in that we probably will never know but I believe Flower will be the one who will have to be convinced that the return of KP is a sound idea.
Whatever the outcome an early resolution should be the target as procrastination just adds to the problem.

[Making_Splinters]

How can one insincerely commit to playing all games?

You either do or you don't surely?

By changing one’s mind later, as one had changed it earlier, I would have thought.

If someone makes a decision then changes it in the light of new information then how is that insincere?

A player decides that they would rather pick and choose and are told that this will not be allowed to happen they are left with two choices either none or all, In line with the hiring and firing analogy really.

[Making_Splinters]

There seems to be a suggestion floating around that Cook will take a more pragmatic approach to the KP situation as he will not want to start his captaincy with a much weakened team. Whether there's any truth in that we probably will never know but I believe Flower will be the one who will have to be convinced that the return of KP is a sound idea.
Whatever the outcome an early resolution should be the target as procrastination just adds to the problem.

Indeed, Hope. Ever since this entire situation started what has been needed was for the people involved to sit down and have a solid face to face conversation, however due to circumstances it has simply been KP and Board and quite frankly it is the Captain and Coach who need to be making decisions on whether or not a player is able to take part in the dressing room or not.

The Telegraph is reporting that Morris and Flower will meet with KP tomorrow.

[OffStumpYorker]

M_S,

In terms of KP's comments about the IPL, one only has to look at the premiership footballers to see that they say things to feather thier own nests, look at Fabregas, last year Arsenal was the best club hed ever played for now he's employed by Man utd they are the best club hes ever played for.

I see KP's comment as something similar, with his IPL contract up for grabs at the end of Next season hes not going to turn round and call it an overhyped competition and risk alienating a employer and source of income, plus it will enhance his chances of more money if hes seen to be supporting it.

At the end of the day the IPL exists, and only a few top 'internationals' get the contracts beig US$1-2 million KP but that isnt per year its per 3 years. so the contract is worth maybe US$500-700K/year, which is about the same as his ECB contract.

In the end if he loses his ECB contract hes looking at around a 50-70% drop in annual earnings thats why he was so contrite on that staged youtube video, and any good agent would have pointed this out. Theres no way he can make up that type of drop by focusing on T20 leagues as all the others pay nothing like the IPL combined, BBL might be the second best payer but it wont be as much.

How so? For every week his ECB contract keeps him away from the IPL he loses 165,000 pounds.

Cant see anything wrong in the exerpts from his latest interview - though again why did his advisers let him do it? In particular "The best players in Test cricket have got the best contracts in the IPL," he says. "You know that's where you build the brand." is a statement of fact.

It doesnt suggest that he plays tests just for money/to build a brand/ to get a great IPL deal. It just says the latter is a consequence of the former. Which it is.

Ok, so if we say his IPL contract is $700,000/year, and his ECB contract (whether he plays or not) is worth the same $700,000/year.

So he loses around $350,000/year from the IPL for playing half the time, That means his income with a central contract is ~1.5Million/annum. now if he loses his ECb contract and has to rely on IPL + county contract, his income will be $700,000 + county lets be generous and say he gets $200,000 from a county.

He loses 70K from the IPL to pay the county that has his contact (standard 10% levi for any English player in the IPL), so thats (700,000-70,000)+200,000, or US$830,000. that is ~45% lower than his current income. So to earn the same as he has under a central contract has to either increase his IPL contract value, or make up that 45% from other leagues around the world.

This doesnt take into account the loss of his endorsements, sponsorships and media rights that he gets from his central contract.

[OffStumpYorker]

There seems to be a suggestion floating around that Cook will take a more pragmatic approach to the KP situation as he will not want to start his captaincy with a much weakened team. Whether there's any truth in that we probably will never know but I believe Flower will be the one who will have to be convinced that the return of KP is a sound idea.
Whatever the outcome an early resolution should be the target as procrastination just adds to the problem.

Indeed, Hope. Ever since this entire situation started what has been needed was for the people involved to sit down and have a solid face to face conversation, however due to circumstances it has simply been KP and Board and quite frankly it is the Captain and Coach who need to be making decisions on whether or not a player is able to take part in the dressing room or not.

The Telegraph is reporting that Morris and Flower will meet with KP tomorrow.

to be honest the captain has as much say in this at the moment as the man on the moon, and cooks wishes should be listened to but ultimately its people on a higher pay grade (Flower and Morris) that will make the initial assesment as to what happens.

[Making_Splinters]

The text saga rolls on, supposedly now they were not text messages but Blackberry instant messages and that these have actually not been stored so it is likely there is actually no formal record of what was said.

Does make one wonder how the Mail were able to say that a single word was used and that they had to clarify later that there had been no tactical information exchanged despite previous assertions that this was the case if there is no formal record to show the details.

Seems the South Africans may have been playing things a little more than previously thought.

[OffStumpYorker]

How can one insincerely commit to playing all games?

You either do or you don't surely?

By changing one’s mind later, as one had changed it earlier, I would have thought.

If someone makes a decision then changes it in the light of new information then how is that insincere?

A player decides that they would rather pick and choose and are told that this will not be allowed to happen they are left with two choices either none or all, In line with the hiring and firing analogy really.

the biggest issue I have with the picking and choosing of games is the poor smuck that has to fill in for him when he decides its not worth him playing, it hardly builds that players confidence up does it.

Strauss was largely slammed as being disrespectful for deciding to miss the Bangladesh series, and give cook some experience as well as younger players, yet when it comes to KP he can make these choices simply becuase he wants to earn more money.

[OffStumpYorker]

Seems the South Africans may have been playing things a little more than previously thought.

Which if this is the casethey lose a lot of the respect that I had for them, hat they had to resort to this type of tactic to win a series, speaks volumnes about the levels that people will stoop in regards to winning, I though cricket was above this type of thing.

[hopeforthebest]

I must say KP's change of heart is for me reminiscent of Hughie Green's famous catch phrase from 'opportunity knocks'. " yes folks and I mean that most sincerely". Few people took that at face value.