The enigma that is Kevin Pietersen

[sussexpob]

Well done Andrew Strauss, no messing, start how you mean to go on.

Nice picture Pietersen, on your way home after the innings yesterday, grinning away like a complete tit, its all about your image in the media, and your own massive ego. Sorry, you burnt all your bridges with the book, and I hope you never play for England again.

You hate him so much, you went onto @KP24 to have a look? Makes sense.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Well done Andrew Strauss, no messing, start how you mean to go on.

Nice picture Pietersen, on your way home after the innings yesterday, grinning away like a complete tit, its all about your image in the media, and your own massive ego. Sorry, you burnt all your bridges with the book, and I hope you never play for England again.

You hate him so much, you went onto @KP24 to have a look? Makes sense.

It's on the bbc website!!!!

I don't even know what @KP24 means.

[Gingerfinch]

Keane was still a force in a weak Utd central midfield, sussex. Smith, Djemba Djemba, a young Fletcher etc were not a patch on Keane, even at that time. I reckon Fergie would have told KP there's no way back, like Strauss allegedly has. For me it's time we move on from the KP circus.

Keane played 4 games in the season he left. He only played 10 games for Celtic in one and a half years, in a much lower standard = Finished. HE couldn't get through 90 minutes anymore, what the hell are you basing this on?

And therefore go out and find a replacement. Who was that again?

Can the ECB buy Mitchell Johnson or Dale Steyn?

Keane had injury issues but was still an important squad member, and still their best midfielder.

Bring in Taylor, Hales, or give some other young player a go. Getting rid of Beckham for 23 million, bringing in Ronaldo, who helped win them the CL, plus then selling him for 80 million was perhaps the best bit of business Fergie done. My point being, there's more to a team than one player.

We've all seen how well the team are doing without that one player...

We done fine in Australia with him, didn't we? And this is also similar to the Utd team when Ronaldo first joined (sorry to harp on about CR7). England are hopefully looking ahead, even though there's an ashes series coming our way. KP was and maybe still is a great player, but I for one have had enough of the saga.

[dan08]

Keane was still a force in a weak Utd central midfield, sussex. Smith, Djemba Djemba, a young Fletcher etc were not a patch on Keane, even at that time. I reckon Fergie would have told KP there's no way back, like Strauss allegedly has. For me it's time we move on from the KP circus.

Keane played 4 games in the season he left. He only played 10 games for Celtic in one and a half years, in a much lower standard = Finished. HE couldn't get through 90 minutes anymore, what the hell are you basing this on?

And therefore go out and find a replacement. Who was that again?

Can the ECB buy Mitchell Johnson or Dale Steyn?

Keane had injury issues but was still an important squad member, and still their best midfielder.

Bring in Taylor, Hales, or give some other young player a go. Getting rid of Beckham for 23 million, bringing in Ronaldo, who helped win them the CL, plus then selling him for 80 million was perhaps the best bit of business Fergie done. My point being, there's more to a team than one player.

We've all seen how well the team are doing without that one player...

We done fine in Australia with him, didn't we? And this is also similar to the Utd team when Ronaldo first joined (sorry to harp on about CR7). England are hopefully looking ahead, even though there's an ashes series coming our way. KP was and maybe still is a great player, but I for one have had enough of the saga.

Losing a series to Sri Lanka at home is much worse than losing 5-0 in Australia.

[dan08]

As for all this looking ahead to the future, why did we recall 34 year old Trott and 33 year old Tredwell for our last Test series?

[budgetmeansbudget]

Well said Finchy.

Andrew Strauss needed to put his foot down straight away and put an end to this ridiculous saga. I hope he told him you can score triple centuries in your next 4 innings but you still ain't coming back.

Time to put Pietersen to bed once and for all and concentrate on moving forward and trying to sort out the England team. With the emphasis on team and not a bunch of self absorbed individuals.

[Gingerfinch]

As for all this looking ahead to the future, why did we recall 34 year old Trott and 33 year old Tredwell for our last Test series?

I said I hope they are. Trott's recall may add weight to the reasoning as to why I hope. That said, I was pleased they gave him a chance. Tredwell's inclusion suggests the spin bowling department is dry, but is that the case with the batsmen? Ballace, Bell, Root, and Ali, thanks to him being able to offer a spin option, have done pretty well of late.

[sussexpob]

Well said Finchy.

Andrew Strauss needed to put his foot down straight away and put an end to this ridiculous saga. I hope he told him you can score triple centuries in your next 4 innings but you still ain't coming back.

Time to put Pietersen to bed once and for all and concentrate on moving forward and trying to sort out the England team. With the emphasis on team and not a bunch of self absorbed individuals.

So you dont think the team can be improved by someone who scores 1200 runs in 4 innings? Interesting point.

[dan08]

Well said Finchy.

Andrew Strauss needed to put his foot down straight away and put an end to this ridiculous saga. I hope he told him you can score triple centuries in your next 4 innings but you still ain't coming back.

Time to put Pietersen to bed once and for all and concentrate on moving forward and trying to sort out the England team. With the emphasis on team and not a bunch of self absorbed individuals.

If anything he's re-opened this saga. Could have not selected him and there would be no complaints or media coverage. As it is, this story is all over the news and back pages and is not going away any time soon.

[SaintPowelly]

As for all this looking ahead to the future, why did we recall 34 year old Trott and 33 year old Tredwell for our last Test series?

Because Trott and Tredwell aren't troublemakers ??

[budgetmeansbudget]

Well said Finchy.

Andrew Strauss needed to put his foot down straight away and put an end to this ridiculous saga. I hope he told him you can score triple centuries in your next 4 innings but you still ain't coming back.

Time to put Pietersen to bed once and for all and concentrate on moving forward and trying to sort out the England team. With the emphasis on team and not a bunch of self absorbed individuals.

So you dont think the team can be improved by someone who scores 1200 runs in 4 innings? Interesting point.

Don't be flippant, just emphasising how strongly Strauss probably feels about Pietersen not returning to the fold, as you well know!!

[budgetmeansbudget]

Well said Finchy.

Andrew Strauss needed to put his foot down straight away and put an end to this ridiculous saga. I hope he told him you can score triple centuries in your next 4 innings but you still ain't coming back.

Time to put Pietersen to bed once and for all and concentrate on moving forward and trying to sort out the England team. With the emphasis on team and not a bunch of self absorbed individuals.

If anything he's re-opened this saga. Could have not selected him and there would be no complaints or media coverage. As it is, this story is all over the news and back pages and is not going away any time soon.

It wasn't helped by Graves dangling the carrot, Strauss has just cut the string attached to the carrot, but you're right the story will run and run, especially if England get hammered in the summer.

I'd still rather they were hammered than kowtowing to Pietersen, and asking him to play again, after all that has happened.

[sussexpob]

Well said Finchy.

Andrew Strauss needed to put his foot down straight away and put an end to this ridiculous saga. I hope he told him you can score triple centuries in your next 4 innings but you still ain't coming back.

Time to put Pietersen to bed once and for all and concentrate on moving forward and trying to sort out the England team. With the emphasis on team and not a bunch of self absorbed individuals.

So you dont think the team can be improved by someone who scores 1200 runs in 4 innings? Interesting point.

Don't be flippant, just emphasising how strongly Strauss probably feels about Pietersen not returning to the fold, as you well know!!

But we were talking about the good of the team, and now you are talking about personal grudges?

[Aidan11]

Well said Finchy.

Andrew Strauss needed to put his foot down straight away and put an end to this ridiculous saga. I hope he told him you can score triple centuries in your next 4 innings but you still ain't coming back.

Time to put Pietersen to bed once and for all and concentrate on moving forward and trying to sort out the England team. With the emphasis on team and not a bunch of self absorbed individuals.

If anything he's re-opened this saga. Could have not selected him and there would be no complaints or media coverage. As it is, this story is all over the news and back pages and is not going away any time soon.

It wasn't helped by Graves dangling the carrot, Strauss has just cut the string attached to the carrot, but you're right the story will run and run, especially if England get hammered in the summer.

I'd still rather they were hammered than kowtowing to Pietersen, and asking him to play again, after all that has happened.

This is the issue the media will jump on. Graves effectively told KP to get a county and get some runs. This he has done at great expense to himself by pulling out of his lucrative IPL contract and playing for Surrey for free.

Now Strauss comes along and tells him it makes no difference. Along with the shambolic way Moores was sacked, Graves "Mediocre" comment, and the original handling of the KP saga, the ECB are becoming the biggest joke in sport.

[Gingerfinch]

Well said Finchy.

Andrew Strauss needed to put his foot down straight away and put an end to this ridiculous saga. I hope he told him you can score triple centuries in your next 4 innings but you still ain't coming back.

Time to put Pietersen to bed once and for all and concentrate on moving forward and trying to sort out the England team. With the emphasis on team and not a bunch of self absorbed individuals.

If anything he's re-opened this saga. Could have not selected him and there would be no complaints or media coverage. As it is, this story is all over the news and back pages and is not going away any time soon.

It wasn't helped by Graves dangling the carrot, Strauss has just cut the string attached to the carrot, but you're right the story will run and run, especially if England get hammered in the summer.

I'd still rather they were hammered than kowtowing to Pietersen, and asking him to play again, after all that has happened.

This is the issue the media will jump on. Graves effectively told KP to get a county and get some runs. This he has done at great expense to himself by pulling out of his lucrative IPL contract and playing for Surrey for free.

Now Strauss comes along and tells him it makes no difference. Along with the shambolic way Moores was sacked, Graves "Mediocre" comment, and the original handling of the KP saga, the ECB are becoming the biggest joke in sport.

Too many chiefs. Let the coach pick the team/squad, and all this cr.p will be easier to follow.