As an outsider looking in

[safcdccc]

Seems some are making him a scapegoat for the failings of others.

Fair enough, well done, not sure how you can put me in the outsider category given that you know nothing about me and I remember going to the University ground before the Riverside was even built, member throughout my teenage years, funnily enough only got rid of that once work came along.

If the age excuse isn't being made, I'd like to know what excuses are? - I'm not saying all our ageing players have suddenly turned shite, but the club haven't tried to continue moving forward and a result the playing staff has deterioated in quality as injuries and age catch up on some (Harmy, MDV). Brandon makes a great example by pointing at how Notts have brought in fresh blood like Lumb, Gurney, Taylor while they lose players such as Broad and Swann to England, and others through retirement like Wagh, Gallian and letting Sidebottom go through not offerng him a 3 year contract due to his age.

Rightly so, injured to play cricket yet fine to swing the golf clubs at Slaley Hall in his own golf event :roll:. Really hope the club chase him once his contract ends. I cringed at a recent interview when he said he wants to come back and play for Durham . Hope he never bowls another ball for Durham. Thanks for the past, but no thanks now.

You asked me about the Riverside, not the racecourse ground (done that many times).

Notts have managed contracts very well, Durham haven't. Durham need to have a clearout and start again with finances.

Excuses I've heard;

1 - Discipline
2 - Team selections (example above and continuing with the likes of Muchall in LVCC when his average is about 12)
3 - Captaincy issue
4 - Body language (confidence issue)

Me, personally I think it's a mixture of a lot of things, not just 1 specific thing. You get to hear a lot of stories down at the games, and when you start hearing the same thing time and time again, it does become concerning and believeable. One of the main things I've noticed is the body lanaguage of some of the players, totally different to recent years.

Just hope the lads can get through what has been a very difficult season for the club and stay in LVCC 1.

Maybe outsider was the wrong choice of words, but can't say I've noticed you at the games in the past few year, despite living in the county.

Andre Adams is nowhere near 38 btw.
.

37 on Tuesday, not a million miles out with my guess.

Andre Adams is nowhere near 38 btw.

I hope you have noticed, from all those MVP rankings, there are no 2 players from a county. I am all for good, solid, experienced performers - the best batsman in the country IMO is 36 year old Marcus Trescothick, it's when your squad is filled with players of that age that you do have a problem.

The top 3 in division one are Warwickshire, Notts and Middlesex - how many over 30's do they cater for?. Darren Maddy, Chris Read off the top of my head, other than that I'm struggling to name anyone else who gets regular games for them who are pushing mid 30's.

Forgot all about Trescothick He'll still be turning out in 20 years time him.

Quite a few old players in the top 10 last season as well.

I just don't buy into the age issue.

 

[The Breen Machine]

Rightly so, injured to play cricket yet fine to swing the golf clubs at Slaley Hall in his own golf event :roll:. Really hope the club chase him once his contract ends. I cringed at a recent interview when he said he wants to come back and play for Durham . Hope he never bowls another ball for Durham. Thanks for the past, but no thanks now.

You asked me about the Riverside, not the racecourse ground (done that many times).

Notts have managed contracts very well, Durham haven't. Durham need to have a clearout and start again with finances.

Excuses I've heard;

1 - Discipline
2 - Team selections (example above and continuing with the likes of Muchall in LVCC when his average is about 12)
3 - Captaincy issue
4 - Body language (confidence issue)

Me, personally I think it's a mixture of a lot of things, not just 1 specific thing. You get to hear a lot of stories down at the games, and when you start hearing the same thing time and time again, it does become concerning and believeable. One of the main things I've noticed is the body lanaguage of some of the players, totally different to recent years.

Just hope the lads can get through what has been a very difficult season for the club and stay in LVCC 1.

Maybe outsider was the wrong choice of words, but can't say I've noticed you at the games in the past few year, despite living in the county.



37 on Tuesday, not a million miles out with my guess.

But what the fuck has Harmison playing golf at Slaley Hall got to do with Durham being bottom of division one and their batsmen barely being able to muster up 200 between them every game?

Have you really?, I don't recall you taking any interest in cricket until the last couple of years.

So who's fault is the discipline issue?, we have been blessed with great pro's round the club like Colly, Benks and MDV so why do we have a discipline problem in your opinion?

Team selection - because our squad is becoming smaller and hasn't been added to, who else can we realistically choose from other than Muchall and Stoneman and others with average records?

Body language will be in part down to losing, confidence will be low, I doubt it's hugely down to Harmy's golf swing or Liam Plunkett playing at Somerset one time.

I've never noticed you either and I've been going since 1994, I'll make sure next time I do go I either search you out, wear a huge name badge or try and have it announced over the tannoy, perhaps I'll sponsor the box all by myself aswell. I live in the county yes, I also work full-time, I wish I could have as much spare time and money as yourself to devote to watching the body language of our players every week.

 

[The Breen Machine]

Rightly so, injured to play cricket yet fine to swing the golf clubs at Slaley Hall in his own golf event :roll:. Really hope the club chase him once his contract ends. I cringed at a recent interview when he said he wants to come back and play for Durham . Hope he never bowls another ball for Durham. Thanks for the past, but no thanks now.

You asked me about the Riverside, not the racecourse ground (done that many times).

Notts have managed contracts very well, Durham haven't. Durham need to have a clearout and start again with finances.

Excuses I've heard;

1 - Discipline
2 - Team selections (example above and continuing with the likes of Muchall in LVCC when his average is about 12)
3 - Captaincy issue
4 - Body language (confidence issue)

Me, personally I think it's a mixture of a lot of things, not just 1 specific thing. You get to hear a lot of stories down at the games, and when you start hearing the same thing time and time again, it does become concerning and believeable. One of the main things I've noticed is the body lanaguage of some of the players, totally different to recent years.

Just hope the lads can get through what has been a very difficult season for the club and stay in LVCC 1.

Maybe outsider was the wrong choice of words, but can't say I've noticed you at the games in the past few year, despite living in the county.



37 on Tuesday, not a million miles out with my guess.



Forgot all about Trescothick He'll still be turning out in 20 years time him.

Quite a few old players in the top 10 last season as well.

I just don't buy into the age issue.

He's good enough to!

I really thought Adams was around 34 aswell so I'll give you that one

Thats fair enough but IMO if you don't try and freshen an ageing squad you are bound to go backwards sooner rather than later, in any sport. The sad thing is the older players are still our best, like I said in an earlier post there is no middle ground in our squad, it's either promising youngsters or players in their mid-30's, no balance at all- it's a squad that's got old together like the Austrailians did around 2007, and in those cases you lose a lot of of your better players at the same time and it becomes a huge rebuilding issue which can take time and money.

 

[Mackem00]

Rightly so, injured to play cricket yet fine to swing the golf clubs at Slaley Hall in his own golf event :roll:.




Maybe outsider was the wrong choice of words, but can't say I've noticed you at the games in the past few year, despite living in the county.

Why would that effect the form of other players?

Do you know or remember every other match attendee?

 

[safcdccc]

But what the fuck has Harmison playing golf at Slaley Hall got to do with Durham being bottom of division one and their batsmen barely being able to muster up 200 between them every game?

Have you really?, I don't recall you taking any interest in cricket until the last couple of years.

So who's fault is the discipline issue?, we have been blessed with great pro's round the club like Colly, Benks and MDV so why do we have a discipline problem in your opinion?

Team selection - because our squad is becoming smaller and hasn't been added to, who else can we realistically choose from other than Muchall and Stoneman and others with average records?

Body language will be in part down to losing, confidence will be low, I doubt it's hugely down to Harmy's golf swing or Liam Plunkett playing at Somerset one time.

I've never noticed you either and I've been going since 1994, I'll make sure next time I do go I either search you out, wear a huge name badge or try and have it announced over the tannoy, perhaps I'll sponsor the box all by myself aswell. I live in the county yes, I also work full-time, I wish I could have as much spare time and money as yourself to devote to watching the body language of our players every week.

Yup

I mentioned discipline. A player claiming to be injured yet playing golf in my opinion is taking the piss out of your employer who pays your wages (bad back I think the injury was?)

All about opinions but I've never seen you at a Durham game. I also work full time. Anyway put aside that as we both sound pathetic.

Team selection - Plunkett and Harmison in at Somerset on the basis of doing nothing for the 2nd XI, whilst Thorp gets dropped . Muchall ahead of better performing players in the 2nd XI. I'd be pissed off scoring runs in the 2nd XI then watching someone failing in the 1st XI time and time again getting selected (90 runs in 7 innings isn't good enough).

I wouldn't say the squad is small.

Personally think the discipline issue is down to the coaching staff, certain things seem to be happening time and time again. Persisting with certain players is also very tedious. Hopefully the change of captaincy brings in new ideas. Can't imagine Collingwood tolerating some of what has happened in the last year.

It's been well documented it seems as though Blackwell has fallen out of favour massively, just wish they would all kiss and make up as I still think he has a lot to offer.

Harmison criticising the club for releasing his brother didn't go down well with club officials either.

Never mind...........

Just hope we stay up, though I half think we're already preparing for life in Division 2 which hurts.

Do you know or remember every other match attendee?

Pretty much, seems hardly anyone attends the LVCC games.

Why would that effect the form of other players?

Highest earner at the club "injured", on the tele playing golf and mouthing off because his brother got booted out the club. I wouldn't be amused if one of my teamates was going on like that.

 

[The Breen Machine]

Yup

I mentioned discipline. A player claiming to be injured yet playing golf in my opinion is taking the piss out of your employer who pays your wages (bad back I think the injury was?)

All about opinions but I've never seen you at a Durham game. I also work full time. Anyway put aside that as we both sound pathetic.

Team selection - Plunkett and Harmison in at Somerset on the basis of doing nothing for the 2nd XI, whilst Thorp gets dropped . Muchall ahead of better performing players in the 2nd XI. I'd be pissed off scoring runs in the 2nd XI then watching someone failing in the 1st XI time and time again getting selected (90 runs in 7 innings isn't good enough).

I wouldn't say the squad is small.

Personally think the discipline issue is down to the coaching staff, certain things seem to be happening time and time again. Persisting with certain players is also very tedious. Hopefully the change of captaincy brings in new ideas. Can't imagine Collingwood tolerating some of what has happened in the last year.

It's been well documented it seems as though Blackwell has fallen out of favour massively, just wish they would all kiss and make up as I still think he has a lot to offer.

Harmison criticising the club for releasing his brother didn't go down well with club officials either.

Never mind...........

Just hope we stay up, though I half think we're already preparing for life in Division 2 which hurts.



Pretty much, seems hardly anyone attends the LVCC games.



Highest earner at the club "injured", on the tele playing golf and mouthing off because his brother got booted out the club. I wouldn't be amused if one of my teamates was going on like that.

But it shouldn't have any effect on the other players what Harmison is doing. If they are so bothered by him pissing off to play golf that they can't perform then they need to have a look at themselves.

Yes it is pathetic but again with you it comes down to who attends and who doesn't, it's your badge of honour when in actual fact I've probably forgotten more Durham games I've attended than you have been to.

The squad isn't small but it's unbalanced and our better players are retiring, losing form (which at that age can be more a permanent thing), and struggling more with injuries, it's no coincidence.

I can't speak for what is happening behind the scenes, it's pretty much the same playing squad and coaching staff, comfort zones perhaps? shake up needed and Collingwood certainly should have been in charge from the start of the season (and should be in all 3 formats)

I am no fan of Muchall as he's had plenty chances but our only other options is to throw a kid in there, understandable why the club haven't done that yet on shocking pitches and in the middle of a relegation battle, there is hardly anyone from the first XI squad they can pick as an alternative which again comes down to lack of additions in recent times - we are losing players not gaining them - Coezter, Turner, B Harmison, Di Venuto, Davies all gone and what's come in?, Myburgh for half a season and Braithwaite.

The Blackwell situation seems baffling, we are definitley a weaker side without him but there's another big earner aged 34 doing nothing but sitting on the sidelines, the club need to draw up a plan to move forward as these players won't be here much longer than another 2 years and then we have real problems.

 

[Mackem00]

Pretty much, seems hardly anyone attends the LVCC games.



Highest earner at the club "injured", on the tele playing golf and mouthing off because his brother got booted out the club. I wouldn't be amused if one of my teamates was going on like that.

Fair enough.

The players should be havin a word with themselves if they are allowing the actions of one big-time charlie affect their form mind.

 

[safcdccc]

Fair enough.

The players should be havin a word with themselves if they are allowing the actions of one big-time charlie affect their form mind.

Not just him as I've pointed out.

The last year has just been a total complete mess.

 

[mikemanc]

Forgot all about Trescothick He'll still be turning out in 20 years time him.

You reckon? He's barely played in the last year because of a recurring ankle injury as a result of wear and tear.

Similar with Di Venuto this year. I'm not saying it's the only reason but you can't dismiss the age of the squad being an issue.

As a side point, I'd see a player at 31/32, particularly a batsman, as being in the prime pf his career. 35/36 I'm not so sure you want 3/4 of them in your line up.

 

[safcdccc]

You reckon? He's barely played in the last year because of a recurring ankle injury as a result of wear and tear.

Similar with Di Venuto this year. I'm not saying it's the only reason but you can't dismiss the age of the squad being an issue.

As a side point, I'd see a player at 31/32, particularly a batsman, as being in the prime pf his career. 35/36 I'm not so sure you want 3/4 of them in your line up.

It was a tongue in cheek comment as he tends to always do the business against Durham - I'll be glad to see the back of him in a way.

He's a cracking cricketer but also a very nice bloke in person. Along with Ashley Giles (sat with us having a cuppa in the stands ), one of the nicest non Durham cricket people I've spoken to during the county games down at Durham.

Age in my opinion is only a small factor in our troubles at the moment. As already mentioned, part of me thinks the club are already preparing for division 2.

 

[Steak Pie]

1 - I've said everyone is entitled to their opinion
2 - I've said I haven't heard the age excuse at the games. Members who have been going for donkeys years.
3 - I've said the only people I hear making this age excuse are people who I assume don't go to the games/haven't been for a long time.
4 - I don't agree with the age excuse.
5 - My opinion is equally as good as your opinion

Get yourself down to a game and support the lads if you can (obviously work etc comes first). Next home LVCC game is over a weekend.

So far, you've dismissed anyone mentioning age as 'crap' 'laughable' 'bullshit' and you expect people to have a debate with you? Mental.

Quite simple really, the three class act bats we have are/were Colly, DiVo and Benks. One has retired due to injury and the other two are a maximum of two years away from going, and both of them are missing games with injuries they wouldn't have picked up a few years ago.

So how can you possibly say that age isn't an issue?

 

[safcdccc]

So far, you've dismissed anyone mentioning age as 'crap' 'laughable' 'bullshit' and you expect people to have a debate with you? Mental.

Quite simple really, the three class act bats we have are/were Colly, DiVo and Benks. One has retired due to injury and the other two are a maximum of two years away from going, and both of them are missing games with injuries they wouldn't have picked up a few years ago.

So how can you possibly say that age isn't an issue?

I've said it's all about opinion, which everyone is entitled to, but I don't have to agree with it. I just don't think age is the main reason, as I've now said several times if not more. Colly hasn't been a class act with the bat with Durham since his return, he can't be put in the same bracket as MDV & Benks when it comes to Durham performances. (probably not a popular opinion but never mind)

Collingwood picked up his injury after been struck on the hand from a fast delivery vs Warwickshire, that could have happened to anyone. Nothing to do with age that, he was just unfortunate to be facing that delivery.

 

[Steak Pie]

I've said it's all about opinion, which everyone is entitled to, but I don't have to agree with it. I just don't think age is the main reason, as I've now said several times if not more. Colly hasn't been a class act with the bat with Durham since his return, he can't be put in the same bracket as MDV & Benks when it comes to Durham performances. (probably not a popular opinion but never mind)

Collingwood picked up his injury after been struck on the hand from a fast delivery vs Warwickshire, that could have happened to anyone. Nothing to do with age that, he was just unfortunate to be facing that delivery.

He hasn't, but I understand he hasn't been 100% fit all season, and there's no denying that he was a class act with the bat (obviously his best work was done for England, which puts him a level above DiVo and Benks).

Benks hasn't been fully fit for two years, Colly is missing games, DiVo has gone completely. These are the three bats we have and none of them can play to the level they could two years ago, like it or not.

Throw in the fact that the best quick in the country has pretty much fell to bits, and there you have it: The four best players at the club are past it.

 

[consettsafc]

Said it before and I will say it again, although it is proably wrong, but DCCC had the oppertunity to be County champions for 3 years on the trot. A feat not done for donkeys years. The management signed a large sponsorship deal with a company from a country that only had 20/20 in its line of sight, the money has been spunked away on that. DCCC could and should have become the modern day Surrey or Yorkshire but due to the management being blinded by the sponsors lust for 20/20 we royally blew it.
Can not see DCCC back in the position of being challengers for the county championship for a good few years, shame but there you go.
Oh and before anyone asks how many times I have been to the Riverside, I get as many times as I can and followed Durham round the grounds when we were a minor county.

I've said it's all about opinion, which everyone is entitled to, but I don't have to agree with it. I just don't think age is the main reason, as I've now said several times if not more. Colly hasn't been a class act with the bat with Durham since his return, he can't be put in the same bracket as MDV & Benks when it comes to Durham performances. (probably not a popular opinion but never mind)

Collingwood picked up his injury after been struck on the hand from a fast delivery vs Warwickshire, that could have happened to anyone. Nothing to do with age that, he was just unfortunate to be facing that delivery.

He was unlucky with that, seemed to rear up off a length.