SPIN gold: Duncan Fletcher talks back – from 2007
SPIN GOLD from 2007
There was a certain irony in Duncan Fletcher’s appearance at Edgbaston last night. The former England coach, who is currently the object of vociferous criticism for accepting the publisher’s shilling and ‘betraying’ the secrets of the England dressing room – was in Birmingham to sign copies of his highly revealing autobiography – Behind the Shades – and was allowed two hours in the club shop.
Paul Smith, meanwhile, who helped Warwickshire to seven trophies, was not allowedto even stock his book in the same shop. That’s the same Paul Smith that was offered little short of £100,000 to spill the beans on a couple of especially juicy episodes of his colourful life. And he turned it down. Indeed, not only did he turn it down for fear that it would damage the game, but he did so at a time when he was sleeping rough.
Funny old world, isn’t it?
Not that Fletcher’s book should be banned. It is fascinating. Not pleasant or witty or particularly well written. But immensely readable. Stop for a moment to scan a paragraph and you will suddenly find two hours have passed. And not – line Monty’s Panesar’s recent tome – because you’ve fallen asleep. Just because it’s fascinating.
You can’t really ask more from a book, can you?
Don’t be put off, either, by the thought that all the best bits have already beenpublished: there’s enough poison in these pages to kill a herd of elephants. Much of it well directed. Fletcher has stored up his ire behind the sunglasses for years. Now it pours forth.
Few escape Fletcher’s sharp tongue. The sections on Flintoff, Read, Boycott and Botham are well documented. But unlikely victims include Northants’ academy director, Nick Cook, journalists such as Christopher Martin-Jenkins and our own Pat Murphy and, seemingly, everyone involved with Lancashire CCC. It’s a blood bath.
“I have been surprised by the reaction,” Fletcher said when I met him for lunch yesterday. “I thought people would focus on my views about the Schofield Report [perhaps the least interesting section of the book] but everyone has wanted to talk about Flintoff.
“I knew all the people who would have a go at me. It’s because I’ve criticised them
in the book. But I’ve also had a lot of support. Several of the guys [former England
players] have phoned me and the reaction at book signings has been excellent.”
It is interesting that no-body has disputed the truth of Fletcher’s words; just his right to air them publicly.
“Look, I’ve been quiet for years,” he says. “This is my chance to put my side across. I’ve not gone into the media saying this and that, I’ve just written a book which lays down all the facts clearly.”
“I feel that I was let down badly by a few people. Actually I feel the team was let down badly by a few people. Some of these issues have been brewing for years and just putting my side across. I don’t have any regrets about it.”
There are many golden nuggets within these pages. Did you know, for example, that Fletcher was offered the Warwickshire coaching role at the start of 1995? Before Phil Neale.
“Dennis Amiss phoned me,” Fletcher recalls. “I was with Western Province and I think Bob Woolmer had recommended me. I was very flattered. Actually I really wanted to do it and they really wanted me. But I’d only been coaching for a year and I didn’t think I was ready. I thought I needed a couple more years so I turned it down.”
He is effusive in his praise of Ashley Giles and believes he will prove an inspired choice as coach. “I’ve always said that Ashley is a superb role-model. This is just confirmation of his character and the quality of the man. He’s the perfect pro and never stopped listening or learning. Sure, it might come a bit early, but I’m sure he’ll be a great success for Warwickshire. Especially now he has Allan Donald on board.”
Fletcher’s relationship with the counties deteriorated after he withdrew players from action for extra rest and preparation. He is typically unapologetic.
“It’s their opinion that I don’t rate county cricket,” he says. “That’s rubbish, of course I do. I just think there’s too much cricket and the results of the last few years speakfor themselves. I have a great respect for county cricket, but it can only thrive is thenational team is successful. That’s the bread and butter and we had to do everything we could to ensure the England team won. Just look at the results.”
Asked whether he would consider a return to county cricket and the answer is swift. “Of course. But it looks as if only one club [Glamorgan] will have me,” he says, betraying that smile that he wore so rarely as coach. “I’ve already had one job offer –a job outside cricket – but I’ll not even think about it until January. I’ve dragged my wife around the world for seven years and now she can decide what we do next. I’malso very aware of what happened to Bob Woolmer and you do have to be mindful [ofyour health].”
In truth, however, several counties would be delighted to sign him. His record is nothing short of exceptional and he admits that a short-term consultancy role with a club would appeal. It may be relevant that Amiss, Giles and Nick Knight – all of whom retain influence at Edgbaston – are three people who emerge with credit from the book. And Fletcher had a long chat with Giles yesterday morning.
It is worth reflecting on Fletcher’s record. Because for all his failings (many of them PR related) – and his inability to improve the limited-overs side – he took the England Test team from the bottom of the pile to the top of the world. It’s quite an achievement.
“People have very short memories,” he says, “but I take a lot of pride from our results. I think one thing sums it up: when I took the job everyone said I was an idiot. When I resigned everyone wanted it. Sure it ended on a sour note, but that’s life. If I’d known how it was going to be, I’d have less hesitation in taking the job now than at the time.”
I first interviewed Fletcher, for The Cricketer, in 1999. He was still at Glamorgan but had just been appointed as England’s next coach. I remind him of his comments then; that such was his apprehension towards the media that he considered not taking the job. He nods vigorously.
“Nothing can prepare you for that,” he says. “Dealing with the media is something I’ve found incredibly difficult. They blow so hot and cold.”
“It’s probably my only regret” he admits. “We might have wanted to market ourselves a bit better. ‘Market’ is the wrong word, but you know what I mean. Maybe we should have fed information to certain people in the media.”
He then tells a ‘off the record’ tale about a senior executive at the ECB describing how they should “spin” a story. “I just didn’t want to know,” Fletcher says with obvious disgust. “I thought that if I just concentrated on the job I had been employed to do that would be enough. I just wanted to walk the walk. Other people can talk the talk.”
Several times during our conversation Fletcher asks to go ‘off the record.’ Some nerve, you may think, after he has thrown off the veil of secrecy quite so blatantly in his book. But he actually makes some interesting points. He could put an end to much of the criticism coming his way in a moment if he told these stories in public, but is reluctant to do so in case it damages those who he sees as loyal or vulnerable.
“I don’t believe in betraying confidences,” he says. “I know people say I’m not a good communicator, but I don’t accept that at all. It’s just there was no confidentiality [within the ECB]. I’d say something to someone in confidence and hear it back a few hours later from someone else. I just stopped trusting people.
“Maybe I should have handled the incident with Flintoff’s drinking there and then [in Australia]. But I didn’t want to damage the moral of the side. We did go on and win the Commonwealth Bank Series, so that was proved to be the right decision at the time. I couldn’t believe it when he did it again [the ‘Fredalo’ incident]. I was very disappointed. Very let down. We all were.”
He insists England were “unlucky” in limited-overs cricket – “we suffered more injuries than anyone” – and that the future is bright. But whatever he says – and whatever his record – it does not look likely that he will remembered fondly by a media that seem more intent on settling scores that rational analysis. And, to his credit and my eternal gratitude, he rushed after me to return my lap-top after I left it in the restaurant. Can’t be all bad then, can he?
