The Ashes 2013-14: Australia v England [21st Nov - 2nd Feb] *** spoilers ***

Looks like Swann's departure could be symptomatic of wider problems:

Retired England off-spinner Graeme Swann has sparked speculation about team disunity by accusing unnamed players of being "up their own backsides".

While Swann did not specifically name anyone, his comments made at his retirement announcement at the Melbourne Cricket Ground have been interpreted as referring to England team-mates - a notion he later refuted.

"Some people playing the game at the minute have no idea how far up their own backsides they are," Swann said after his retirement announcement.

"It will bite them on the arse one day and when it does I hope they look back and are embarrassed about how they carried on."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan responded to Swann's remarks on Twitter, drawing a response from the retired off-spinner that has since been deleted.

"So @Swannyg66 says some England players heads are up their own Arse???? Which ones exactly??" Vaughan said.
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(Source).
 
Haha, love it. I can tell you know, Swanny is not the sort of person who would easily just give up on the game that all he has ever known. I used to play golf with him at school, and while he did come across as a cocky sod sometimes, it was only because he had real talent and always wanted to win.

He is 34, his elbows are buggered, got 2 young kids and a nice Mrs. I suspect he wants to spend some quality time with them rather than travelling and training none stop when his body is starting to say no.
 
Don't get me wrong - I completely understand his decision. Getting out before Christmas to go home and see his family if he will play no further part makes total sense. I just don't see why he had to announce his retirement now, that's what has annoyed me. Just go home, if anyone questions it then he's "injured" and announce that's it after the series is over.
 
Spavin said:
What a coward, happy to lap up all the adulation when its going well, cant wait to bail when it gets slightly tough.
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This pretty much.

Wouldnt surprise me if he comes back when things are getting good for England again lol.
 
Pietersen has effectively confirmed Swann's comments were aimed at him:

While the England camp will be relieved to hear of Pietersen's commitment, they may be less than overwhelmed by the manner he dealt with questions about Swann.

Offered the opportunity to douse suggestions that Swann's "heads up their own backsides" comment was aimed at him, Pietersen instead fanned the flames.

Instead of saying 'Swann made it clear those words were not aimed at anyone in the England dressing room' - a reply he could and should have given - Pietersen instead replied: "There's a lot worse things I've been called."
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(Source).
 
oli collett said:
The media do love stirring these things up don't they?
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Surely if anyone's stirring this up, it's Pietersen. As the article points out, he could have downplayed the entire incident and left the press with nothing. Instead he 'fanned the flames.'

One More Solo said:
Well Evangelion's certainly lapping it up.
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OM NOM NOM!
 
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One More Solo said:
Well Evangelion's certainly lapping it up.
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Quite, twice as many posts already in this thread than the last Ashes one and we're only 3 games in :p

My prediction to my Aussie friend at work is at this rate we're going to lose the series 0-6 :p Sucks to lose Swann as along with Trott he's been one of our strongest performers over the last few years, I had forgotten how old he was actually so with that in mind I don't really blame him although the comments about the team are a bit unnecessary, save it for the autobiography eh?
 
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Oz won the toss again.

Do you not think in a 5 match series, the teams should get the choice on 2 tests each and the final test should be on the toss?
 
Just saw the news that Jacque Kallis has announced his retirement. One of, if not the best player of all time imo(controversial I know;)) . Definitely the best player I have seen.
 
Cook. One of the softest dismissals I've seen, no idea what he was thinking.

1 for 51.

Meanwhile, that's great news about Kallis. Should mean we lose by a smaller margin in South Africa next year. :p
 
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