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Thankless Fred
By Tabrez Janjua for Stani Army in International Cricket
78 ViewsSo Andrew Flintoff has decided to become a freelance cricketer after rejecting an incremental contract offered to him by the ECB?
If anything, it shows how desperate, short sighted and foolish the ECB were for giving him a contract in the first place. Now he’s chucked it in their face, how silly do they look? Even Flintoff himself said he was “flattered” and wasn’t “expecting” a contract. Not only did the ECB offer him the contract but they are also paying for Dave Roberts the physio to help Flintoff recover in Dubai. Surely the ECB should have only offered this if Flintoff was contractually bound otherwise why does he deserve it? A board paying for a physio for a freelance cricketer? Crazy.
As one of the reasons for rejecting the contract, Flintoff went onto to say “at this stage of my career I don’t think I need to be told when to play and when to rest,” if that was the case in the past, then you wasn’t professional enough my friend.
Flintoff’s retirement from Test cricket meant that the ECB could not award him a full central contract. The question you have to ask is if he was given a full contract with no Tests, rather than an incremental one, would he have decided to reject it?
The ever modest Andrew Flintoff
Flintoff has his supporters of course. I don’t agree with Andrew Miller’s argument on cricinfo that “Flintoff shouldn’t be ostracised for his decision to go freelance. He is belatedly realising his own worth, and doesn’t owe England an outstanding debt of gratitude”
No outstanding debt of gratitude? Are you sure about that? What own worth? The guys been injured most of his career, something the ECB had to deal with.
Not only that, he would have been the main cause of an unsettled England side during this period. How many selection dilemmas has he caused because of his injury problems? How many players have come in to the national side not knowing how long they’d be given before being dropped just because Flintoff is fit again? This game has made him a millionaire and the support of his board has a lot do with this yet if you look at what he has contributed in return, it’s not great. “Own worth”? Inflated self worth more like it.
For the sake of consistency of team selection, England should now close this chapter and completely ignore him. It’s time to move on.
The scary thing is, though he may have been the first to go freelance, something tells me he won’t be the last. Cricket is fast becoming unrecognisable.
Andrew Flintoff:
“Since 2005 I’ve had two years when I’ve done nothing but rehab from one injury or another”
Andrew Flintoff, July 2009
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. And 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.
Duncan Fletcher reveals his anger with Andrew Flintoff, the then-England captain, over his conduct at a fielding practice during the 2006-07 Ashes
Oct 30, 2007
I still do the same things I’ve always done. I go and have a pint with my mates down the pub, I go horse racing and do various other things I’ve always done, so my life hasn’t changed too dramatically.
Andrew Flintoff confirms that weight loss and Ashes glory can’t change the Freddie of old
May 12, 2006
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September 17th, 2009 at 1:48 am
Stani
I have always found a lot of similarity between Flintoff and Akhtar.One is an alcoholic and the other a druggie both had fitness problems but due to their immense talent they kept on making comebacks.
Flintoff probably has realized that international cricket doesn’t suit his life style and whatever cricket is left in him he wants to sell it to the highest bidder a bit unpatriotic but at least he knows what he wants.
Akhtar on the other hand is living in denial he knows that he is not fit for International cricket he also knows that he can never change his life style and will keep on getting into trouble but he still doesn’t want to let go of International cricket, by hook or crook he wants to be a part of the team. I think he is not only un patriotic in a sense but also dishonest not only with himself but also with the fans and the board.
September 17th, 2009 at 4:58 am
The ECB may have just beaten the PCB and BCB.
September 17th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Wasim,
That’s a very good link. I didn’t consider it myself but you are right come to think of it. Flintoff does seem cleverer though than Akhtar because he’s made more money out of it. They both have been big dissapointments and could have been cricketing greats.
People look at injuries and just assume it’s sod’s law but if you take care of yourself, injuries will not occur as often.
Yes, I agree its Flintoff’s choice and that’s what he wants but I dont think the ECB should pick him now. It will only be for the odd match here and there so why not give someone young and up and coming that chance?
I’d be surprised if Akhtar plays for Pakistan again.
Purn,
No board can out do the PCB. Their Shoaib’s warts announcement still ranks top.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
That was stupid yes, but at least there haven’t been instances where they have given the players a chance to disrespect them in public. “At this stag in my career, I don’t need to be told what to do”- that’s what Freddie said didn’t he? Serves the ECB right to love him like blind bats.
But can’t even blame Freddie. He probably made that comment knowing they were incompetent. Who sits in this board anyway? Have they ever heard of planning for the future?
September 17th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
ECB is generally a bit kind to their players when it comes to contracts especially if the player was a key one. I remember reading about how Marcus Trescothick had his contract for a long time past his retirement.
September 17th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Purn,
That is one way of looking at it. What you can also glean from that quote is how unprofessional he has been in the past to not be trusted enough to be able to take care of himself. He may as well just said “I don’t want to be told when to stop partying and whether I can have a drink or not”, which is clearly what a professional cricketers contract must demand.
Scorpi,
Yes, you’re right. But the ECB is guilty of a lot of favouritism which runs the whole way through its structure whether it’s team selection or the awarding of contracts. Where’s the accountability though?
September 19th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Firstly Eid Mubarak !
Here is a good link : http://www.pakpassion.net/articles/watch_out_here_comes_another_qadir
Ps what is ur opinion on the prospect ?
September 20th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Eid Mubarak, Stani.
September 20th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Stani Eid MubaraK
September 21st, 2009 at 1:51 am
Maz, Scorpi, Wasim,
Eid mubarak to you too guys! Much appreciated. I hope you lot behaved yourselves.
Maz, will check that link soon.
September 22nd, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Good stuff here SA. Wait till the BCCI comes up with new and innovative ways to chain, lock up , torture and zombie-size the cricketers into slaves.
morethanjustagame.wordpress.com
September 22nd, 2009 at 12:26 pm
By the way,
eid mubarak everyone! Keep warm, happy and safe!
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:11 am
Cheers MTJAG. I like the two sports you chose on your blog….men after my own heart. Shame about the teams though. Sujith, you’ll never win anything whilst that child trafficker is at the helm and Vicky, yours is just a two man team (one man against us because Gerrard was nowhere to be seen).
COYI!!!
COME ON YOU IRONS!!!
September 23rd, 2009 at 6:56 am
TJ – Hammer time?! Can’t touch this??!
Thanks for visiting the blog. Sadly, I agree with your take on my team. If I were the opposition , I’d really focus on shutting down Gerrad , and that’s about it. He’s the only guy who has a pulse in creating or scoring. Torres is awesomeness redefined no doubt, but he cannot create on his own.
I was a west ham fan during the magical Tevez season. I loved every minute of it.
TJ, how do I contact you? Do i write at the info@sa dot com?
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:57 pm
MTJAG,
Haha!
Yes, agree about Gerrard and Torres. Now why did you admit to being a glory hunter? You’ll always be a hammer deep down, admit it.
Liverpool will never be challenging whilst Benitez is there. He buys rubbish and makes odd decisions. Babel has been at Liverpool for some time but hasn’t improved at all. Under Wenger or Fergy, he would have developed much more by now. Benitez has never given him a good run. He could be the new Henry.
Yeh, you can contact me there or I’ll mail you at the address you left in the email field when commenting.
October 18th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Хм… В некоторые жизненные моменты волосы могут шевелиться не только на голове
October 19th, 2009 at 12:44 am
жEлтЫйкOт,
Same to you mate, same to you.