Graham Swann retires from all cricket with immediate effect.

[cheshunt seagull]

Unless he was experiencing a medical problem, that required treatment at home, or serious psychological health issues he should be ashamed of this decision. If he didn't feel able to play or knew he was going to be dropped he could still have contributed his experience and support behind the scenes. This will put even more pressure on his team-mates as the Australian players and crowd will label the whole team as a whole as bottlers and although the series has been lost we can salvage something with 2 battling performances. Shameful end to a great career...although I see he has not ruled out cashing in by playing in India.

 

[spring hall convert]

OK we have lost the Ashes, I don't like it, I want to go home and I am taking my ball with me.
the test of a good sportsman is that he keeps a straight face and a stiff upper lip when losing.
good riddance

It's better for the team in the long run to have a look at someone else if they've lost the series and he is retiring. I don't get what the fuss is about

 

[Zen Frenzy]

Real shame - character more in line with some of our Aussie adversaries than others in the current squad. Probably told he was being dropped for the final two tests and decided to make big gesture. Saw his comment from yesterday about some of the players being "so far up their own a***holes it's untrue"; might be another dig at KP or a thinly veiled dig at the poncy team dietary requests revealed before the series. I agree that the latter made us look like a bunch of effete pansies. Don't think his absence will have a big impact on what happens in the last two tests. Sadly can't see us salvaging anything from this series.

 

[KZNSeagull]

It's better for the team in the long run to have a look at someone else if they've lost the series and he is retiring. I don't get what the fuss is about

Essentially he is saying:

- I wanted 1 more shot at glory
- I failed
- I am not prepared to stay and help my team mates save a bit of pride
- I am abandoning you - thanks for the memories, but someone else can take the flack in the last 2 tests

Not really something I would want a mate of mine doing, frankly.

 

[vegster]

I'm getting a bit narked with the Swann situation, fine, walk out in the middle of the tour because you don't fancy it but don't slag your team mates and then say that you did not mean your team. Very poor, he needs to shut up, get lost and if he has anything to say, get it added on as an extra chapter in his book if its republished. All this just before a crucial Test match which could decide some players future careers.

If I was Andy Flower I would lamp him.

 

[knocky1]

I don't think the IPL will want him as he has not recovered from the shoulder surgery. That is plain to see. I hope they don't anyway. The next auction would be his last chance saloon.

My worst fears are his know all, jack the lad, comments being broadcast into my lounge at 3 am in the morning next time that England are on an overseaes Tour.

 

[spring hall convert]

Essentially he is saying:

- I wanted 1 more shot at glory
- I failed
- I am not prepared to stay and help my team mates save a bit of pride
- I am abandoning you - thanks for the memories, but someone else can take the flack in the last 2 tests

Not really something I would want a mate of mine doing, frankly.

I guess you could see it like that, it's a bit needy & woe is me in my eyes, if the team feel all abandoned by this then I'm not suprised the Australian's are wiping the floor with them. I actually dislike Swann, I find his everyman jack the lad act insincere & wonder how great his career could have been if it hadn't taken until his mid twenties to wake up to the fact he was wasting his talent. However, the guy gave it his best shot, he failed, he sees no future for himself in the international game and would probabaly like to spend Xmas with his family. It'll give 2 games for Monty to stake a claim and a bit of time for Borthwick to be around the team.

Still at least it diverts everyone away from digging out Pietersen. He's not even English, is drawing to the end of his test career, is in wretched form, could earn more money in one season in the IPL than Swann could in 4 and he's still out there.

 

[spring hall convert]

My worst fears are his know all, jack the lad, comments being broadcast into my lounge at 3 am in the morning next time that England are on an overseaes Tour.

I hope the rape gag will keep broadcasters away. Having said that Tufnell was a similar kind of character & offers a pretty good counterbalance on TMS...

 

[knocky1]

I hope the rape gag will keep broadcasters away. Having said that Tufnell was a similar kind of character & offers a pretty good counterbalance on TMS...

Tuffnell laughs at himself, is down to earth, smoked joints in toilets on tour in New Zealand and is funny. He can be in my living room whenever he wants.
We have stumbled upon Swann's next move "I was a celebrity get me out of here".

 

[spring hall convert]

Tuffnell laughs at himself, is down to earth, smoked joints in toilets on tour in New Zealand and is funny. He can be in my living room whenever he wants.
We have stumbled upon Swann's next move "I was a celebrity get me out of here".

Absolutely agreed on Tufnell now, when he first started I thought he'd be awful.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I guess you could see it like that, it's a bit needy & woe is me in my eyes, if the team feel all abandoned by this then I'm not suprised the Australian's are wiping the floor with them. I actually dislike Swann, I find his everyman jack the lad act insincere & wonder how great his career could have been if it hadn't taken until his mid twenties to wake up to the fact he was wasting his talent. However, the guy gave it his best shot, he failed, he sees no future for himself in the international game and would probabaly like to spend Xmas with his family. It'll give 2 games for Monty to stake a claim and a bit of time for Borthwick to be around the team.

Still at least it diverts everyone away from digging out Pietersen. He's not even English, is drawing to the end of his test career, is in wretched form, could earn more money in one season in the IPL than Swann could in 4 and he's still out there.

I am sure they all would. Perhaps they should just all jack it in and come home.

 

[vegster]

Tuffnell laughs at himself, is down to earth, smoked joints in toilets on tour in New Zealand and is funny. He can be in my living room whenever he wants.
We have stumbled upon Swann's next move "I was a celebrity get me out of here".

Tufnell was not really that bad, he was a bit rebellious and was easily led astray by drink and women and the occasional spliff. I don't think he ever split a team due to his comments about them, more often than not he was dumb. He's grown up and mellowed and has blossomed in to a good analyst of the game.

 

[knocky1]

You have probably all heard this one. Tuffnell fielding on boundary in Australia and an Aussie shouts out "Hey Tuffnell, can I borrow your brain? I'm building an idiot."

 

[spring hall convert]

I am sure they all would. Perhaps they should just all jack it in and come home.

Needy, that's my point, if he's not playing or going to play what's the point in him being there? It's not like he needs the experience, Monty's an experienced bowler of a totally different action and style to Swann so it's not like he'll be asking for Swann's advice too much. We don't know the full story, the others might not want him about, the others might want him to go home and have Xmas with his family rather than hang around. I just think some of the stuff here is way over the top. Swann's comittment to the team wasn't in doubt when he rushed back from a serious operation (probably too early and to the detriment of the rest of his career) to be part of the Ashes series over here.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

This does not feel right - but beyond the headline of course there are more factors to consider. Of course they will have discussed handling it so that the injury prevented participating in the final two tests - and they must have decided better that Swann went now. It does seem strange.

But thanks for the good times anyway.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Needy, that's my point, if he's not playing or going to play what's the point in him being there? It's not like he needs the experience, Monty's an experienced bowler of a totally different action and style to Swann so it's not like he'll be asking for Swann's advice too much. We don't know the full story, the others might not want him about, the others might want him to go home and have Xmas with his family rather than hang around. I just think some of the stuff here is way over the top. Swann's comittment to the team wasn't in doubt when he rushed back from a serious operation (probably too early and to the detriment of the rest of his career) to be part of the Ashes series over here.

Would he have made this decision if it was 2-1 to us?
If he was going to jack it in after 3 games, why go at all in the first place? "Oh, we've lost so stuff that, I'm off lads".
This is tantamount to someone walking off the golf course after 10 holes because they cannot win.

Either see something through or do not start it at all.

 

[spring hall convert]

Would he have made this decision if it was 2-1 to us?

I don't wish to be rude but clearly not if he felt he still had something to offer to the team. He wanted to help us win it be that motivated by personal ambition or desire to help the team, couldn't do it, was retiring at the end of the series regardless, so a decision was made (possibly by Swann, likely by management) that he wouldn't be playing the last two matches. I don't see the problem, they are dead rubbers, England's longterm (and arguably short term) interests are better served by playing someone else.

This is a difference of opinion, I don't see it as a big deal, you do, perhaps we should leave it as such now.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I don't wish to be rude but clearly not if he felt he still had something to offer to the team. He wanted to help us win it be that motivated by personal ambition or desire to help the team, couldn't do it, was retiring at the end of the series regardless, so a decision was made (possibly by Swann, likely by management) that he wouldn't be playing the last two matches. I don't see the problem, they are dead rubbers, England's longterm (and arguably short term) interests are better served by playing someone else.

This is a difference of opinion, I don't see it as a big deal, you do, perhaps we should leave it as such now.

I don't see a difference of opinion as a big deal! I just don't like quitters.

 

[Frank Dux]

To support his (ex) team mates, that's why he should hang around. If he does come home, it just looks like he does not give a damn, now that has failed and given up.

Spot on, especially in a sport like cricket where yu are so far away from home for a long period & a team mentailty is essential - state you have an injury & then support your team mates & the fans & plenty of time for books/TV career afterwards. Strikes me as kneejerk, especially such a gregarious character who could help he younger players out. A disappointing end to a great few years

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Spot on, especially in a sport like cricket where yu are so far away from home for a long period & a team mentailty is essential - state you have an injury & then support your team mates & the fans & plenty of time for books/TV career afterwards. Strikes me as kneejerk, especially such a gregarious character who could help he younger players out. A disappointing end to a great few years

That's my take on the situation too. I'm surprised he hasn't recognised it would be better to complete this tour and then neatly retire, with all the accolades he deserves rather than loads of question marks. However Swann has always been an outspoken character and not too worried about what others might think.

On the other hand I wonder how long it will be before he really puts the knife into his former team mates? Normally he cannot resist making barbed comments and once retired I suspect he will have a go. No doubt the media will give him the opportunity because he is good for a controversial quote or two. I'm interested to see what he has to say about KP.