Pup not up to being captain of Australia

ON radio SEN this morning, many folk were commenting that they NOW have respect for Clarke - having seen him go throw this Bingle bungle and walk away from her - - so, there's probably a difference between respecting as a leader a fellow lavishing expensive gifts on a bikini model partner, compared to a fellow who has been burned in a very public love gone wrong and somehow come out of it with reputation/dignity not too badly dented.......bingled so to speak.

These two articles are worth revisiting in the light of recent events The term character is used quite often... http://www.topnews.in/sports/bar-brawl-michael-clarke-ended-andrew-symonds-career-24769 http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/pups-not-my-mate-symonds/story-e6frf9if-1225812135906 What is best - Still sobering up or totally absent?

Ahh, yes, the 'headbutt'. It looked accidental at the time and only looked more so on each viewing, but hell, don't let some form of good sense get in the way of damning a player. Clarke hasn't done himself too much harm with this run to Oz. And apart from too much limelight, he hasn't made many mistakes in terms of off-field behaviou that I can recall. I think people are really damning him due to this media beat-up.

Fiancee. Bit of a difference.

*Deep breath* Hands up anyone who has taken time off work to break up with their girlfriend ... despicable

At the end of the day, we're talking about yet another unnecessary, overly long series of ODI cricket matches. Perhaps he's the bigger man by going home to sort his life out, rather than dump his fiance by text message, or some such, and let his country down by pressing on with his mind somewhere else. Don't forget his father is battling cancer as well. I'm no huge advocate of M Clarke, and I'm not sold on his leadership qualifications, but to call his actions 'despicable'... Time to take a deep breath.

"I’d suggest Michael’s actions of the past week have all the makings of a true leader." You are about the only person in the country that truly believes this. A senior Australian cricket team member has never abandoned a tour, without even facing his team mates, to go home and break up with his girlfriend or fiancee or whatever. That's just despicable. I wouldn't want to play under someone as weak as that. And just because many sports lovers haven't played at the highest level, it doesn't mean they can't appreciate true leadership. Well played sfinkerton.

Sfinkerton clearly you’re one of Michael’s best mates to be referring to him as “Pup” so many times! If you’re going to bag the guy at least refer to him by his name rather than in a manner that suggest you’re his drinking pal at your local. People not that long ago the general public were questioning R.Pontings ability to be captain after his altercations at the Rocks late one night, but he’s proven that to be wrong . I’d suggest Michael’s actions of the past week have all the makings of a true leader. He’s doing what is required to put a stop to the circus that has become his private life and I dare say its not been an easy decision for him either, so give the guy a break! As for Johnson’s “Head Butt” it looked every bit to me like he just walked into the grill of Styris’s helmet as opposed to a forceful deliberate blow to the head. And lastly to put a final note to this rubbish of an article, when have any of you tall poppy bagging knuckle heads actually captained a cricket side at any decent level? I’m sure you all played U16’s but do any of you know what a game of cricket is like with a ball fizzing past you head at 130km per hr? Because in my experience the people who have played a decent level of Cricket tend to support Ponting & Co as they appreciate the skill required to do it, to the rest of you just sit back on your couch and watch the Lote run around Leichhardt oval this weekend!

These days Ponting lets his underlings carry out the boorish behaviour.

"Mitchell Johnson’s recent headbutt is indicative of the childish behaviour that has consumed the team ever since Ricky Ponting was made captain. It was an unacceptable, albeit laughable act by Johnson. Maybe if he showed that sort of fight and passion during the Ashes, the result may have been different." Spot on. Quote of the day. Though I'm not sure playing macho man would have helped any.

It was a bloody shame - Warne was one of the most exceptional, knowledgeable, capable, ruthless, passionately tribal Australian cricketers I have seen in 60 years. You simply could not fault his play and his utter determination to win and play it out 'til the end. Like the estimable Keith Miller he could not be made captain on that alone. I admire his apparent (late) maturing and outstanding contribution since he retired. The day he did, simply holding up that ball to acknowledge the worshipping crowd was measured and dignified. His interview with Michael Parkinson won me over - he was relaxed, candid and unpretentious and not at all crafty. The TV vision I saw of him visiting bushfire fighters in Victoria a couple of years back, revealed so much of his nature. He sprung out of the car and walked towards them with an easy grin, offering his hand, and their delighted reaction spoke volumes. It was all about them, not him. Hard nosed site workers rarely misjudge good blokedness. I reckon Shane Warne would be good company on a Friday night watching the rugby, easily just one of the mob.

Good Australian Captains have presence, greater wisdom and patience; work longer hours; possess innate mongrel; are diplomatic and ruthless; can apply balance to everything they do and say; are always reliable, even when they are not producing runs; demonstrate judgement and restraint - and that's mostly the off field characteristics. The only political and unqualified appointee we had, during the world series crisis, was torn apart by the players. This galah has just set himself up for the same destruction, from the same source. The players were onto him a couple of seasons back. I hear reference to Ponting's earlier bad behaviour. His determination and ability to overcome that demonstrates the sort of single mindedness that is a fundamental pre-requisite for a successful captain. Clarke is 28 already, half a lifetime to develop and mature, yet he has consistently done all he can to demonstrate he has not. Lawry, Chappelli, Chappell, Border, Taylor, Waugh, Ponting. Clarke simply does not fit into that.

Outside distractions didnt detract from Warne's performances on the pitch, but sadly the bloke shot himself in the foot too many times - taking money from Indian bookies, taking banned substances, smashing kids cameras, struggling to keep his pants on.

I agree, if; as the media are now claiming he has returned home to surgically remove this cancerous pollop then it's full steam ahead for the captaincy. I don't think you need to be squeaky clean for the job but you do have to be completely unencumbered by outside distractions. This whole thing will help harden him up a bit too I expect.

My read of the situation is that Clarke has come home to sort out the mess. There is no doubt that Bingle is dragging down the Clarke 'brand'. Take her out of the equation, and Clarke has a solid reputation. He hasn't been involved in any pub brawls or other scandalous behaviour, which is exactly what Cricket Australia will want from the next captain. The remaining question mark then is whether Clarke is a good enough on field captain. He needs to return to NSW for a few games to increase his captaincy experience.

Appoint Katich as vice captain immediately. (Very) Long term I reckon Steve Smith might be a goer - been listening to his interviews and he has a good head on his shoulders. The only reason Clarke is VC is there isn't another obvious candidate. Katich is too old to be captain for more than a year after Ponting leaves, same with Hussey. Marcus North shouldn't even play another Test and the less said about Shane Watson the better. Perhaps Brad Haddin should play the Adam Gilchrist role of VC - as a keeper he obviously won't be full time captain but it would let the selectors wait until Ponting actually quits before choosing a new captain.

I tend to think that he will make a good captain - his recent performances in T20 (particularly against Pakistan), showed an attacking flair that I hope, if he is made captain, will be seen in the test arena. I dont think these current personal issues will continue - it seems like he has come back from the current tour to sort them out before they did start to effect his performance and the also disrupt the team environment. A good decision I would have thought - but as I have noted in previous posts - it seems this is more about personalities than who is best to lead the team.

Well i never thought anyone could make Ponting look good in the skipper stakes - but this bloke certainly does ... he's a victim of his own making getting sucked into the concept of trying to be the Aussie posh & becks sideshow - and unfortunately for him CA have a perfect model in how to handle something like that - Sir Alex ...

Not up to being captain of Australia? I've been saying this for 3 years, but nobdy seemed to want to listen.