Cook Must Go. NOW! (As test captain)

[westoelad]

It seems to be overlooked that Cook has been a rather outspoken individual in recent times. He slammed the selectors and management after the World Cup, he went after the incoming CEO after the West Indies and then said he would quit if a player was selected. For all the talk about KPs errors over the years, he has not been close to being as outspoken as Cook has in the last few months.

If responding honestly to questions put to him by the media when he is mandated as England captain to appear in front of them is being outspoken then so be it. There is no evidence whatsoever that he threatened to resign if Pietersen was selected.

[Making_Splinters]

It seems to be overlooked that Cook has been a rather outspoken individual in recent times. He slammed the selectors and management after the World Cup, he went after the incoming CEO after the West Indies and then said he would quit if a player was selected. For all the talk about KPs errors over the years, he has not been close to being as outspoken as Cook has in the last few months.

If responding honestly to questions put to him by the media when he is mandated as England captain to appear in front of them is being outspoken then so be it. There is no evidence whatsoever that he threatened to resign if Pietersen was selected.

If Cook's views after the World Cup were honest then he needs removing from any position of power.

[westoelad]

It seems to be overlooked that Cook has been a rather outspoken individual in recent times. He slammed the selectors and management after the World Cup, he went after the incoming CEO after the West Indies and then said he would quit if a player was selected. For all the talk about KPs errors over the years, he has not been close to being as outspoken as Cook has in the last few months.

If responding honestly to questions put to him by the media when he is mandated as England captain to appear in front of them is being outspoken then so be it. There is no evidence whatsoever that he threatened to resign if Pietersen was selected.

If Cook's views after the World Cup were honest then he needs removing from any position of power.
Yeh,whatever. So honesty means removal from any position of power.

[Dr Cricket]

It seems to be overlooked that Cook has been a rather outspoken individual in recent times. He slammed the selectors and management after the World Cup, he went after the incoming CEO after the West Indies and then said he would quit if a player was selected. For all the talk about KPs errors over the years, he has not been close to being as outspoken as Cook has in the last few months.

If responding honestly to questions put to him by the media when he is mandated as England captain to appear in front of them is being outspoken then so be it. There is no evidence whatsoever that he threatened to resign if Pietersen was selected.

there evidence of him speaking to Agnew and Boycott though.

[Making_Splinters]

It seems to be overlooked that Cook has been a rather outspoken individual in recent times. He slammed the selectors and management after the World Cup, he went after the incoming CEO after the West Indies and then said he would quit if a player was selected. For all the talk about KPs errors over the years, he has not been close to being as outspoken as Cook has in the last few months.

If responding honestly to questions put to him by the media when he is mandated as England captain to appear in front of them is being outspoken then so be it. There is no evidence whatsoever that he threatened to resign if Pietersen was selected.

If Cook's views after the World Cup were honest then he needs removing from any position of power.
Yeh,whatever.

I don't see how you can hae a player who has overseen a horrifically poor run as Captain combined with terrible personal performance honestly believing that the side would be better with him in it in any position of power. Cook's delusions over the year have become increasingly worrying.

[Dr Cricket]

It seems to be overlooked that Cook has been a rather outspoken individual in recent times. He slammed the selectors and management after the World Cup, he went after the incoming CEO after the West Indies and then said he would quit if a player was selected. For all the talk about KPs errors over the years, he has not been close to being as outspoken as Cook has in the last few months.

If responding honestly to questions put to him by the media when he is mandated as England captain to appear in front of them is being outspoken then so be it. There is no evidence whatsoever that he threatened to resign if Pietersen was selected.

If Cook's views after the World Cup were honest then he needs removing from any position of power.
Yeh,whatever.

I don't see how you can hae a player who has overseen a horrifically poor run as Captain combined with terrible personal performance honestly believing that the side would be better with him in it in any position of power. Cook's delusions over the year have become increasingly worrying.

Agree 2 clear sign of power and Captaincy is not his thing.
1) Complains about Warne, Why would he do a stupid thing even if he is partly right, clear sign he listen to Commentators and comments plus the pressure getting to him even when England are winning, at that time england were beating Australia in the Ashes and a very good team.
2) as the Cheek to complain to Agnew about him praising KP punditry work.

Cook is just too Stubborn and Deluded to even be captain.
Ironic Cook has become very selfish in the past two years.
as shanky rightly pointed out in twitter.

Alastair Cook's reputation of being a "nice", "likeable" bloke is one of the biggest cricketing myths floating around. Proper knob.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Praising honesty only goes so far though Westoe? Then you've got to interpret what has honestly said. If what he honestly thinks reflects badly on him, then people will notice and comment on it.

[westoelad]

It seems to be overlooked that Cook has been a rather outspoken individual in recent times. He slammed the selectors and management after the World Cup, he went after the incoming CEO after the West Indies and then said he would quit if a player was selected. For all the talk about KPs errors over the years, he has not been close to being as outspoken as Cook has in the last few months.

If responding honestly to questions put to him by the media when he is mandated as England captain to appear in front of them is being outspoken then so be it. There is no evidence whatsoever that he threatened to resign if Pietersen was selected.

If Cook's views after the World Cup were honest then he needs removing from any position of power.
Yeh,whatever.

I don't see how you can hae a player who has overseen a horrifically poor run as Captain combined with terrible personal performance honestly believing that the side would be better with him in it in any position of power. Cook's delusions over the year have become increasingly worrying.

The you've made your view on that pretty clear but a captain is restrained by the talent he has available and that's very limited particularly in the bowling department. It's very easy to be an armchair critic but I've heard very little constructive from the experts whilst the amateur viewer is hardly qualified to offer advice. Negative criticism is never going to achieve anything but surely a knowledgeable and experienced mentor like Strauss should be given the chance to work with Cook to bring the desired improvement. Some of the criticism of Cook has become very personal and amounting to character assassination. No one should have to put up with that.

[Dr Cricket]

TBH the biggest issue isn't KP,Cook, Strauss or any player, but ECB pathetic decision and management in the last 2 years.
As Rich often points out this isn't About Kp vs Cook, but really about ECB poor decision that are getting covered up by KP and cook storyline.

Strauss should be given time but he should certainly not be given an all clear till 2017-19 and really only get marked on the 2019 world cup and Ashes, That is really pathetic by the ECB.
But that not Strauss fault, I reckon Strauss is the best man for the job that actually applied for the job and england could have gotten.

People should remember not many candidates were wanting this job or the Head Coach job.
He could have handled the KP situation better but TBH that was probably not his fault or his decision.

Strauss shouldn't really be judged on the Moores Leaking and Kp saga in the last two months.

[westoelad]

Praising honesty only goes so far though Westoe? Then you've got to interpret what has honestly said. If what he honestly thinks reflects badly on him, then people will notice and comment on it.

Wholeheartedly agree it.s all about opinion. But some of the criticism is becoming vitriolic and very personal and often expressed by those not qualified to do so. Surely you have to be party to the tactics and game plan before you can be critical of them. And if bowlers don't or can't exercise that game plan,as has been admitted in the past, then the captain can't be wholly responsible for that.

[rich1uk]

Praising honesty only goes so far though Westoe? Then you've got to interpret what has honestly said. If what he honestly thinks reflects badly on him, then people will notice and comment on it.

Wholeheartedly agree it.s all about opinion. But some of the criticism is becoming vitriolic and very personal and often expressed by those not qualified to do so. Surely you have to be party to the tactics and game plan before you can be critical of them. And if bowlers don't or can't exercise that game plan,as has been admitted in the past, then the captain can't be wholly responsible for that.

after the drawn test in the WI when we failed to bowl them out on the last day didn't cook say something about having reviewed the hawkeye data all the bowlers had by and large hit the lines and lengths that had been planned for but it just didn't turn into wickets ?

doesn't that suggest a captain unable to think on his feet and sticking to a premeditated plan even when it isn't getting the desired results ?

shouldn't a captain recognise when plans like that aren't working and try to change things and not hide behind hawkeye data saying they did what they wanted to do ?

[Arthur Crabtree]

I agree that it's difficult to know who plans what. I tend to think the captain is responsible for plans that are taken out into the middle. I often mention that the bowlers are also accountable for what happens off their bowling. But if Cook isn't responsible for fielding positions and bowling changes etc, then maybe he should find out why not.

Some of the anger is supposed to be amusing, though I'm not saying it is. To be honest, I feel a bit guilty for banging on, and I'm aware it's boring. And annoying for those who don't agree (I started my own thread for the most extreme of it). But I don't think a lot of what I read from those who disagree with me stands up that well.

And like Cook, I'm saying what I honestly think....

[sussexpob]

I do find it funny that the reason Moores lost his job was because "limitations and tactics".....

But the captain who enacts them, apparently to the letter without ever acting independently, is not considered tactically inept or "limited".....

I struggle to understand that because, at the end of the day, Cook has 100% autonomy in the only venue that matters..... the field.

To watch while his team fail just because his coach told him what to do is not a comfortable position to argue yourself into.

[sussexpob]

I guess another thing to consider is that Cook's captaincy pre-dates Moores, and he did go 10 test matches abroad without winning a single one when Flower was in charge (3 in NZ, 5 in Australia, 1 in India and 1 in WIndies). If Cook was being undermined by Moores' tactical approach, then can we assume that Flower was equally poor at tactics? Didnt he take us to number 1? Didnt we batter Australia away under him? Beat India for the first time in decades away? Whitewashed them at home?

Funny isnt it though.... Flower's England took a noticeable drop in quality under Cook, I guess this must be co-incidience, because Flower must have been completely rubbish.

I wonder how we got to number 1

[sussexpob]

The last thing I would mention is Cook's batting. I think I read before somewhere (although, it was before he scored his third test 100 so not sure it changes anything) that Cook has the second worst record for an English captain in his actual on field performance, not verified the claim, but if that is true I dont understand why he is putting himself through this, its clearly affecting his career.

Its become a vanity thing. He has gone past the point of stepping down with dignity and reputation intact that he keeps having to throw the dice hoping his luck will change, but not sure he is capable