Doomed? Have you been promoted to Private Frazer?!!


Although practice facilities are needed (of course they are) I still think it is being used as an excuse by some players. Yes it would be nice, yes it might be helpful but it is not as if the players are being asked to travel to the north side of Birmingham everytime. With the position of the ground and the investment that is needed to secure the financial future of the ground it is going to be some time before a flood free venue can be found attached to the ground. The club cannot move and so it is about time the players sucked it up and got on with it. I and many of us commute on a daily basis, much further for sometimes less pleasant jobs and for a lot less money. Get on with it!

GD wrote :

Though the club point out - with some logic - that it's the sort of off-site facility used my most major football clubs, there's probably no substitute for an on-site gym and indoor centre. Sadly it remains probable that Worcestershire would need to leave New Road for that to become a reality. Sooner or later, such a scenario seems inevitable.

It's not me saying that the club is doomed, or that it's the cricket which matters most. Not sure how wires are getting crossed here. I've been trying to argue how wrong GD is.

The new pavillion contains a fitness room on the upper floor, and a physio's room as well. The only thing the ground a facilities don't have know is a place to hit balls when the weather is inclement, and a lot of players are probably glad that the coach can't drag them into the nets again when the mid season tiredness starts to kick in.

As to complaints about the facilities, this is surely just the dissafected finding excuse for poor performance or taking the easy route to perceived success? how on earth did Mr Hick acheive what he did without facilities on the ground?

I doubt any of the current players are too worried about the location of their facilities in the winter months., Unless you live across the road from the ground you have to travel, so whats the difference?

Just says to me how cossetted todays players are, that they have to have everything to hand at the ground.
I wish they'd get real, it's not like they have to travel to the other end of the country

I think most cricketers accept what they have EC, although some will always think the grass is greener elsewhere. It doesn't help when reporters/commentators have to keep harking on about such stupid matters as if they really count.

In case you missed this week:

http://www.bearsfans.org/showthread.php?tid=1447

I failed on the one " Is it an advantage to have Ashley Giles as your coach, if you are a mediocre player but want to play for England ? " and I said No.

Nothing from George so far this week in the E & S

So lo and behold, it's in tonight! Scanned in full.

Solanki and Mitchell are dream ticket

As Worcestershire look to rebuild after the 2009 season, they can surely draw encouragement from the characters who will be charged with leading the team in such uncertain times.

The retention of Vikram Solanki as captain and apppointment of Daryl Mitchell as his deputy means the team will be led by a pair of men who developed through the New Road system and understand the culture and values of the club. Between them, they could well steer Worcestershire through the next decade.

It is accepted by most at New Road that it may take a season or two of 'consolidation' before the club shows tangible signs of progress. But with Solanki and Mitchell at the helm, the Pears can at least build for the future in the knowledge that there are two men at the helm who have seen both good and bad times at the club and are committed in the long term.

"I'm under no illusions about how tough the next year or two might be, " Solanki admitted. "I don't think anyone should doubt that it will be tough.

"But we're moving forward now. There might be a couple more additions before the season and I'm confident we have a group of talented young players here who can develop into a good team."

The departure of several senior players - all of which Solanki still considers "good friends" - was a great disappointment. Yet Solanki insists he wishes all of them well and never attempted to persuade them to stay.

"Of course I'd dearly loved for them to have stayed," Solanki said. "Some of them talked to me and I gave then my honest opinion. In the end, though, players are entitled to make up their own minds and if someone has a genuine belief that moving can further their careers, then they should probably do it. If they really feel that, then they go with my very best wishes.

"Will I finish my career at W Worcestershire? I can't guarantee that, because that decision isn't only mine to make. But I've only ever played for one club and I've had opportunities to move on. I would hope the fact that I've chosen to continue as captain in these circumstances is a clear indication of my commitment."

He believes, however, that captaincy remains his secondary role at the club. "My primary role is to score runs," Solanki said. "I started last season reasonably well, but small technical issues crept in and I didn't score as many runs as I would have liked. I wouldn't allow myself to use the captaincy as an excuse. "

Solanki also has encouraging words for the club's director of cricket, Steve Rhodes. "I have a very good relationship with Steve," he said. "And I think I know him better than anyone else in the squad. I played for him for several years and one thing I can tell you about his approach is that it's consistent. He's exactly the same as a coach as he was as a player. I respect his qualities and his beliefs and some of the criticism he's attracted, particularly at the members' forum, was harsh and disappointing."

Quiet week for GD this week by the look of it. Hardly told us anything we didn't know.

An improvement though !

It's a very good article this week: I may have to quote from it in the summer when people start to question why we aren't doing very good...even better if I don't need to!

Solanki is right about the the members' forum. The players do not deserve the poor quality of the fans at New Road and I hope the club does not allow another such forum to occur.