Giles blasts ‘Montymania’
DISGRUNTLED England spinner Ashley Giles has claimed he was dropped from the Ashes Test team because of the clamour for “Montymania”.
Giles has spoken out for the first time about being replaced by Monty Panesar for the final three Ashes Tests, saying the popularity of the colourful Sikh spinner meant he was discarded unfairly by England.
“I was battling not only against Australia but against Montymania,” Giles told the UK Sun newspaper.
"There’s nothing personal between us but Monty had become such a major figure it seemed he had to play.
"It was almost as if they were stringing up effigies of Fletcher and burning them in the streets of London town because Monty wasn’t playing.
"It was more than just competition for places -** it was the hype around Monty,** leading to the talk of Sports Personality of the Year and everything else.
"There are moments when you think, ‘Have people forgotten what I’ve done for this team?’
“But I suppose everyone gets p… off at work sometimes.”
“Monty is a very good bowler but there are other areas he needs to work on. As a spinner in England, you need to do other things,” said Giles.
"To be a lone spinner who bats at 10 or 11, you must get five and six-wicket hauls regularly.
“Unless I got five wickets or we won, I was always going to be up for scrutiny.”
SOURCE: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21119743-23212,00.html
In other news, Giles has shown his support for Bob Woolmer if he decides to join England. Problem is that he is also supporting Duncan Fletcher. Seems like Giles has finally shown that he has some spin potential :hehe:
Giles spins support for Woolmer
England spinner Ashley Giles says former Kent star Bob Woolmer would make a fine replacement for national coach Duncan Fletcher – should he decide to stand down after the ICC Cricket World Cup.
He said: “Bob is a fantastic coach as well. I have had the privilege of working under both. He is a fine coach and is a great choice to have if Duncan was to pack in. There wouldn’t be many better to take over.”
SOURCE: http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Giles-spins-support-for-Woolmer-newsinkent2679.aspx
Gilo defends Fletcher
England spinner Ashley Giles insists Duncan Fletcher is still the right man to coach England despite the firestorm of criticism that has been turned on the Zimbabwean in recent weeks.
Fletcher took a hammering from the critics following the Ashes humiliation and that has intensified as England have continued to struggle in the one-day Commonwealth Bank Series down under.
But Warwickshire left-armer Giles - who was named in England’s provisional World Cup squad earlier this month - is backing the coach to the hilt.
“For me, Fletcher should stay as long as he wants the job,” Giles told Sky Sports News. "And even when he doesn’t want the job, England should try to keep hold of him in one role or another.
"I think he would be a perfect scout for English cricket if he didn’t want to do the coaching job any more, because he has such a good knowledge of the game, he reads people very well, he picks personality very well.
“Fletcher has been brilliant for the England cricket team, he has been brilliant for me and I can’t speak highly enough of him.”
