The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[Arthur Crabtree]

This is the money shot for me.... you can come back if you leave your dignity at the door and admit defeat??!!!??? This is insulting, if I would KP I would rightly tell them to shove their test team where the sun dont shine.

This is what i mean. This feels like the point at which Pietersen really shouldn't try and mend bridges. Unless the ECB backtrack. An apology would be a good start. Though not necessarily publicly. Too much of this has been played out in the press already. Not even in responsible, credible newspapers.

[D/L]

It has been the second time in a year that Anderson chose to spoke out about his disappointment with the ECB's selection policy, sparking Andy Flower to come out in the second instance and issue a rather firm reasoning for the decision in a measure that, for me, was nothing more than a public showing to Anderson that he was boss.

If KP has issued a statement saying he was "extremely disappointed" with the ECB and its selectors or more than one occasion, no doubt it would be an Everest sized mountain made out of the molehill.

Interesting how the analysis of meaningless garble is interpreted in different ways when different people say it.... Anderson is clearly speaking of discontent with the management, why is this not rebellious or confrontational, especially when he said something similar when dropped for the ODI series v India?

Why is similar remarks from KP completely different?

This is the money shot for me.... you can come back if you leave your dignity at the door and admit defeat??!!!??? This is insulting, if I would KP I would rightly tell them to shove their test team where the sun dont shine.Apologise for what exactly? For the offence caused by text messages the ECB cant verify the nature of.... the arrogance of such a demand makes my blood boil.

Presumably, unlike Pietersen, Anderson played by the rules of his contract and cleared his statements with his employers before coming out with them.

Perhaps, it is Pietersen’s unauthorised statements (understandably, his contract stipulates that all statements to the media need to be approved by the ECB), followed by the inevitable controversy, that cause the unseemly situations he often finds himself in.

Anderson’s statements are no indicator of underlying problems with the ECB and bear no resemblance whatsoever to Pietersen’s. The ECB probably even approve of a low level, and controlled, amount of controversy in the game.

These tirades against the ECB are beginning to suggest a loosening grip on the reality of employment matters.

[Gingerfinch]

So, please apologise.

Seems fair to me.

Would it be taken as a sincere, heart-felt apology or merely a ploy to extend his test career, though?

Who know's but he can only do what is asked, although it seems he's reluctant to do that!

If his team mates suspect it's not sincere, it's hardly going to promote team harmony, then. In fact, it may make it even worse.

Well yes but then a private apology to his team mates and a truce should be an end to it. If some are still not happy after that then tough.

[Arthur Crabtree]

The ECB is saying, according to the press I've seen, that:

1. Pietersen should confirm that these texts exist.

2. And he should apologise for them.

How can you make any sense out of that?

[D/L]

I don't even know why KP should apologise...

Me neither. Who could take it seriously?

[Gingerfinch]

The ECB is saying, according to the press I've seen, that:

1. Pietersen should confirm that these texts exist.

2. And he should apologise for them.

How can you make any sense out of that?

Or

Deny they exist.

[OffStumpYorker]

Since Struass and Flower have taken over they have had a rather open policy with people able to say what they want without any fall out, provided it is done behind close doors in the dressing room.

The Fact that KP has voiced these opinions to the opposition withour raising them in the dressing room is a smack in the face for this openess that was expected. this is then seen as a slap in the face of everything that Strauss and Flower have built.

All KP had to do was deny that he had sent any derogatory texts, and detail who he'd sent the texts to so that coud be clarified, this would then have cleared up the problem, KP decided not to do this, and so you have to ask how bad where those texts and were they really 'banter' or 'knife in the back of his captain and coach'.

Its not as if KP doesnt have history with coaches and captains, the issues with Moores are all rather public, andI suspect he never backed Fintoff either during the 06/7 series to Aus.

In the end Selection to play for england is not guaranteed, even with a central contract, and that is how it should be.

[D/L]

...but then a private apology to his team mates and a truce should be an end to it. If some are still not happy after that then tough.

Agreed, although there’s always likely to be a sense that any apology was expedient rather than sincere.

[shankycricket]

So, please apologise.

Seems fair to me.

Why should the apology come from only one side? Have the ECB apologised for those leaks?

[Gingerfinch]

So, please apologise.

Seems fair to me.

Why should the apology come from only one side? Have the ECB apologised for those leaks?

They may have but that's another issue.

[Kim]

The ECB is saying, according to the press I've seen, that:

1. Pietersen should confirm that these texts exist.

2. And he should apologise for them.

How can you make any sense out of that?

Or

Deny they exist.

Thtas the point. If he denies they exist, he doesnt have to apologise for them.

So why doesnt he?

[Gingerfinch]

...but then a private apology to his team mates and a truce should be an end to it. If some are still not happy after that then tough.

Agreed, although there’s always likely to be a sense that any apology was expedient rather than sincere.

Yes but that will always happen. If it happened at my work then you would just have to take the apology and move on.

[sussexpob]

This is the money shot for me.... you can come back if you leave your dignity at the door and admit defeat??!!!??? This is insulting, if I would KP I would rightly tell them to shove their test team where the sun dont shine.

This is what i mean. This feels like the point at which Pietersen really shouldn't try and mend bridges. Unless the ECB backtrack. An apology would be a good start. Though not necessarily publicly. Too much of this has been played out in the press already. Not even in responsible, credible newspapers.

Well what it says to me is that the ECB, without proof of the texts, are asking KP to be his own executioner or face the death of his international career..... either way, no one in the ECB or team management will take the hit for any poor decisions they are made, and should KP be the big man and face the music, if anything it will sound out like a glorious victory for the ECB.... shameful considering the poorness of decision making processes the ECB have shown in this issue.

Presumably, unlike Pietersen, Anderson played by the rules of his contract and cleared his statements with his employers before coming out with them.

Perhaps, it is Pietersen’s unauthorised statements (understandably, his contract stipulates that all statements to the media need to be approved by the ECB), followed by the inevitable controversy, that cause the unseemly situations he often finds himself in.

Judging on Flowers reaction to Andersons second remark about being rested/dropped, I would say that nothing had been discussed.... it wasnt made in a "heres the reasons for the decision generally Mr Pressman" it was made in a "we would like to reassure Jimmy this is why it happened way"....

As for contracts, I dont think gag orders are worth the paper they are written on, and the ECB disclosed and leaked discussions of a personal nature to the press, they are the last people to start pointing to mutual clauses in contract about what you should be saying to the press without authorisation

[D/L]

So, please apologise.

Seems fair to me.

Why should the apology come from only one side? Have the ECB apologised for those leaks?

What leak, exactly? Is this a reference to the ECB’s statement that Pietersen had retired from all one-day international cricket? If so, why should they apologise for that?

It seems that only one party has a duty to apologise here.

[KipperJohn]

Let's put the KP issue to one side and look at the bigger picture for a change.

I ask a simple question - what is the Anti-Corruption Unit or whatever it is called doing - or not doing?

Regardless of the individuals, exchanging 'messages' between opposition players during matches is pretty obviously an avenue which can be exploited by those who wish to corrupt our wonderful game.

Forget 'hurt feelings' and all that - I understood that players were supposed to have restricted access to mobiles and social media during matches.

if the Anti Corruption Unit isn't asking some serious questions and helping the governing bodies put in some proper safeguards, policies and procedures - then frankly it's a waste of space.

There are far more serious matters here which have wider implications than whether or not KP should have been dropped.



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