Graeme Swann - Autobiography comments thread.

[ganeshran]

Graeme Swann believes Kevin Pietersen is not a natural captain and has claimed the batsman was never the right man to lead England. Swann, who captained England himself in the Twenty20s against West Indies last month, suggested that Andrew Strauss's calm leadership style has been central to England's success. Pietersen was named England captain in August 2008, but his tenure lasted just five months after a much-publicised spat with then-coach Peter Moores. Strauss then took up the role and his harmonious partnership with Andy Flower has seen England crowned the world's No. 1 Test team. In his new book, The Breaks are Off, Swann claims Pietersen does not command respect in the same way as the more reserved Strauss. "There is no doubt that Kev is a good player, a really fine batsman, but he was never the right man to captain England in my opinion," Swann said. "Some people are better leaders of men, and Kev, for all his abundant talent is not one of those natural leaders. "I wouldn't say he was a useless captain, but he wasn't my sort of captain, and we've ended up with the right man. I can't really work out why Strauss demands respect, but he does. I've known him for a long time but there is a line I won't cross with him that I will cross with anyone else. It's the sign of a good leader. I'm in awe of the way he speaks. "He always seems to press the right buttons with me and says exactly what I'm thinking. He's to the point and meaningful and I'd be really upset with myself if he ever felt it necessary to dress me down." In the absence of injured captain Stuart Broad, Swann was handed the chance to captain England for the Twenty20 internationals against West Indies. While he may have a reputation as a joker, the spinner insisted he enjoyed the responsibility of captaincy. "It was nice to shape a game," Swann told The Times. "I've said before that I've captained in my head every game I've ever played before but this was different. I enjoyed the responsibility of making decisions. It pandered to my enjoyment of being the centre of attention, too." Swann insisted, however, that he holds no real captaincy aspirations of his own, and that the current men in charge have what it takes to do the job well. "Broady will mature into a very good captain; Cookie's doing a great job, and having expressed my man-love for Strauss throughout my book, you'll know that I hold him in the highest regard. It would be a brave man to suggest he should not be captain of England for a good while yet." England play their second warm-up game on Tuesday though Swann is doubtful to play due to an ankle niggle.

Is that because he is a Saffer :giggle:

[WC2011INDIA]

Is that because he is a Saffer :giggle:

Andrew Strauss is a Saffer

[ganeshran]

Andrew Strauss is a Saffer

KP is more of a saffer than Strauss.

[Crookbond]

Because he doesn't do videos for Swann.

[ganeshran]

Darren Gough punched me - Graeme Swann http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/cricket/3862267/Graeme-Swann-Day-I-was-decked-by-Darren-Gough.html

The bust-up is revealed in Swann's autobiography The Breaks Are Off serialised in SunSport starting today. The world's No 1 spin bowler tells how Gough whacked him in the face in the toilets of the team hotel after a late-night drinking session. Swann sustained a fat lip and was knocked flat on his back but Gough never explained why he laid him out. The off-spinner's first England tour in 1999- 2000 was a deeply unhappy trip in which he angered coach Duncan Fletcher, suffered homesickness and hated the dressing-room cliques. His bust-up with Yorkshire fast bowler Gough happened during a boozy night at the team hotel in Johannesburg. Swann, 32, said: "I had not even been with Gough on the evening in question. "I'd spent it chatting to a member of an air crew and the golfer Ian Woosnam, who was playing in a tournament in South Africa. "Three sheets to the wind, Woosie was demonstrating his swing using a bar stool instead of a golf club. "It had been hours since I'd seen Goughie, although I'd had a chortle before he went off for dinner when one girl in the bar told him, "You look like a fat Darren Gough.' "However, I was very much aware of his presence around two in the morning when I went to the gents. At this point, Goughie emerged from nowhere and, as I stood at the urinal, punched me in the mouth. "Because of my state of inebriation, rather like in a comedy film, I fell backwards. Problem was I had not stopping urinating. "I asked him, "What did you do that for?' But he strode off and left me there, wet jeans, fat lip and all. "Some of the other lads said something like that was bound to happen sooner or later because I'd wound up people too much. But not on this occasion. "To this day, I'm not sure what Gough's problem was or what I did to deserve being cracked."

[Sachinism]

I'd heard about this a long time ago, but never found out who it was that punched him Heard Swann was very cocky them days

[1983-2011]

Darren Gough: Why I clocked Graeme Swann DARREN GOUGH has finally come clean over why he KO'd Graeme Swann on an England tour. In Monday's SunSport, Swann revealed how a spat with Yorkshire hero Gough back in 1999 left him on the floor of a Johannesburg hotel toilet. Gough had never explained why he laid his team-mate out until he read our serialisation of Swann's new book. The pace ace said: "We had some disagreements and I warned him it'd go further if it happened again. Two days later, we had a bit to drink and he was trying to belittle me. "We had a disagreement, he swore at me and I gave him a cow tailer with my left hand. There was a queue of people waiting to give him one on tour." http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/cricket/3864534/Darren-Gough-Why-I-clocked-Graeme-Swann.html

[1983-2011]

Flower slams timing of Swann's autobiography New Delhi: England team director Andy Flower has slammed spinner Graeme Swann for the poor timing of his autobiography "The Breaks Are Off" which is being serialised in an English daily, saying he was opposed to current players coming out with such works. "I personally don't think that it's a good idea for current players to be talking about their fellow players. The written word does come across very, very differently - when you can't judge a person's tone - and particularly with Swann's words, that is an accurate and important point," The Daily Telegraph quoted Flower as saying. He also said relationship between Kevin Pietersen and Graeme Swann was fine despite some adverse comments made by the spinner in his book. The book contains a series of Swann's personal opinions about his fellow team mates - including his contention that Pietersen was not the right choice as England captain in 2008 and 2009. The former Zimbabwe captain said the issue has been handled well and praised the 31-year-old Pietersen for reacting to the situation in a matured way. "It's all been handled in-house - without many problems. Pietersen and Swann get on well, and I think Pietersen has handled it very maturely," said Flower. Flower asserted that Pietersen is an important member of the team and he expects him to let his bat do the talking in the remaining four one-dayers in India. Pietersen was run out for 19 in England's 126-run defeat in the opening match in Hyderabad. "When Kevin was competing in the game any Ž*comments in a book had no place in his mind," The Mirror quoted Flower as saying. "I expect him to score runs, that is why we pick him. If we didn't expect it we wouldn't pick him so I look Ž*forward to him doing that soon. I personally disagree with Ž*current players making comments about their team-mates. My personal opinion is that it is not the right thing to do. "I don't think the commercial opportunities are that important to be honest. However, I think Pietersen has handled it very well and he and Swann get on fine. I think he has handled it very maturely and there aren't any issues arising from it," Flower said.

[ganeshran]

Its a needless move by swann to make some money. Creates bad blood in the dressing room

[Stuge]

Maybe KP can't do what Strauss can do for Swaan between he started playing gilly danda ,and he wrote autobiography