Alan Swann: on Andrew Flintoff, football officials and Posh's promotion
I'VE always felt that Andrew Flintoff was one of the world's most over-rated cricketers. His figures just don't add up when compared to the real greats of the game.
I'VE always felt that Andrew Flintoff was one of the world's most over-rated cricketers. His figures just don't add up when compared to the real greats of the game.But when it comes to stupidity, arrogance and greed, Flintoff has few equals, as proven by his ill-fated and ill-advised sortie into the Indian Premier League, which is itself a grand title for a slogging contest.
The decision to allow Flintoff to play in such a meaningless event, particularly in an Ashes year, was the latest in a long line of blunders by England's cricket chiefs.
Central contracts are supposed to protect the work-load of England's better players, especially injury-prone numbskulls like Flintoff, while offering financial security in return.
Flintoff, who incidentally made 3 million from his testimonial year so is hardly skint, was instead allowed to put his brittle body on the line so he could add a bit more to his bank balance.
Obviously the inevitable has happened and Flintoff has damaged a knee – ruling him out of the West Indies Test series, probably the World Twenty/20 Cup and if he plays more than two Tests against Australia I'll be amazed.
I've not heard Flintoff apologise for his latest reckless adventure. Too busy counting his cash from a tournament which again exposed his flaws when pitched against the best I suppose.
AT least Kevin Pietersen has managed to overcome the home sickness that blighted his winter tour of the Caribbean in time to pocket his own fortune while skippering a side really badly in the Indian Premier League.
Mind you the tournament is being staged in the South African's real home so I guess it's an unfair comparison.
Meanwhile the Aussie Test stars are sitting at home resting because they realise there is only one cricket event worth playing in this summer.
Those that aren't resting are playing in the County Championship getting valuable practice and experience of English conditions.
Phil Hughes, an opener who has never played in England before, scored a hundred on his Middlesex debut last week.
I hope Middlesex boss Angus Fraser MBE is pleased with himself. The 30 people who watch Middlesex regularly will be a lot happier than the hundreds of thousands fearing an inevitable whitewash at the hands of the arrogant Aussies later this summer.
FA Cup Final referee Howard Webb is in the city today so I hope some-one at the Peterborough Referees Association meeting asks him a question for me.
After another weekend when all the major decisions have favoured the big teams (Manchester United's ridiculous penalty award, the soft free-kick which enabled Liverpool to score, the failure to award a penalty against Arsenal) are these blatant errors the result of a) fear b) intimidation c) co-incidence or d) the fact that our officials are generally useless?
Having watched some of the Champions League knock-out matches I fear our top referees are miles behind their European counterparts.
I CAN'T wait for the weekly e-mails from Leeds fans.
Over the last few months they've been busy telling me how much bigger and better they are than Posh. Some appear so stupid they probably still believe that now, even though Posh are promoted and Leeds will have to win the play-off lottery to join us in the Championship.
I do hope they fail. One trip to dilapidated Elland Road to listen to graphically moronic chanting in a lifetime is enough.SWANNY'S FANMAIL
The FA Cup semi-final wasn't the best of games, but then semi-finals never are.
Given the resources available to David Moyes he should be named manager of the year. I suspect he's too busy to be worried about what nonentities like you are saying.
Moyes Lover
Football is all about winning.
Everton beat the best team Manchester United put out and reached the FA Cup Final.
I'll be at Wembley on May 30 when you are contemplating another season in League One and trips to Brentford and Crewe.
David Grant
On behalf of all Luton fans, may I wish Peterborough United every success in the future.
On behalf of all Luton fans may I wish your chief sports writer no success at all. It's not difficult being so negative all the time and it's certainly not clever.
Why you put up with this nasty man I will never understand and I for one will be on his case when the inevitable happens and the mighty Luton Town pass little Peterborough United in the Football League.
Mad Hatter Mark
Swanny, how on earth do you have the nerve to call anyone else dull?
Posh B
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Thursday 18 March 2010
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