KP says central contracts may no longer be relevant

[vishwa]

Kevin Pietersen has joined the growing band of players voicing concerns over the gruelling international calendar and said that with lucrative IPL deals on offer, they would not be as keen to accept central contracts from their boards.....

Source- 'Players won't look forward to central contracts' - Pietersen | England Cricket News | Cricinfo.com

Why can't the ECB just let its players participate in the IPL? For heavens sake, its no rocket science that players will prefer a million $ deal for 2 mnths over a 20,000 pound deal (Fred's contract) for a year. So, as Vettori said, why make them choose IPL over the country?

First Fred, now KP, next it might be Jim, then Swanny.... it has to stop. I dont want the players to be forced to choose between IPL & country. They must be allowed to play both.

 

[Sureshot]

Because some people value high quality international cricket and playing for their country over that of playing in a domestic knock about tournament.

We shouldn't have to work around the IPL, it's the other way around.

 

[King Pietersen]

KP didn't say he'd be rejecting a central contract, just that players might not be as keen if they're rejected the chance to play in the IPL. He's still incredibly passionate about playing Test cricket, as he explained in the interview, and I'm sure his ?300,000ish a year contract from the ECB is very relevant, as he wants to continue playing Test cricket. He's effectively saying that with the lucrative oppurtunities out there, players outside the Test squad would be more likely to take an IPL contract as opposed to an incremental ECB central contract. Just a shame that none of the players on incremental ECB contracts, bar Flintoff would be in a position to cash in on a lucrative IPL contract, as they're just not good enough. I don't think we'll be seeing guys on full central contracts from England turning them down to play IPL cricket, as I'm sure they value their international careers far more than a knock-about in India.

I agree with his comments about the County schedule being too packed as well. Not too sure about the regional idea, but he's right about the packed schedule being part of the reason for the lack of pace bowling.

I'm also with you and agree that a window needs to be made for the IPL to stop all these ridiculous disputes between players and their country boards. I don't think anyone wants to see a repeat of the Chris Gayle incidents from earlier in the year, with him turning up a day before a Test series due to the IPL. I'd rather see the tournament binned, but it's not going to happen due to the money, so making a window makes sense if it stops disputes between players and boards. The IPL can't have longer than 2 weeks though, any longer than that is ridiculous.

 

[Fatal Shot]

Money makes the world go round, and eventually you will be sucked in by it. Especially players who have families.

 

[vishwa]

Because some people value high quality international cricket and playing for their country over that of playing in a domestic knock about tournament.

We shouldn't have to work around the IPL, it's the other way around.

Well, the Sri Lankans refused to tour England because they wanted to play in the IPL. So I guess the world needs to just accept the fact that it needs to work around the Greatest Domestic cricket tournament in the world (says not just every Indian, but Forbes too).

KP didn't say he'd be rejecting a central contract, just that players might not be as keen if they're rejected the chance to play in the IPL. He's still incredibly passionate about playing Test cricket, as he explained in the interview, and I'm sure his ?300,000ish a year contract ....

The last thing the world wants is to lose players playing at International level. And no one is gonna pay a million dollars to anyone for playing for 2 weeks. This is the biggest Sports league on the planet (says not just every Indian, but Forbes too). You can't fit the league in 2 weeks. Give it a month. And whether we like it or not, everyone wants to play the IPL from West Indies to NZ across the globe. Like Dan Vettori said, the players shouldn't be forced to choose between playing for the country and the IPL. Is creating a window that damn difficult? Do boards wanna be stubborn at the cost of loss of players?

This is just ridiculous. More and more players will come out this way and criticize their moronic boards and we as spectators havta pay for this admistrative "how dare India gets bigger than us" rubbish. :

 

[pcfan123]

KP may no longer be relevent considering we won the Ashes and just got to the semis of CT without him. :laugh

hee hee just kidding KP we want you back

 

[Sureshot]

It can be the greatest at anything it wants to be, it's still a domestic tournament though. Any real sportsman will put country before domestic, particularly in Cricket.

 

[Howsie]

Well, the Sri Lankans refused to tour England because they wanted to play in the IPL. So I guess the world needs to just accept the fact that it needs to work around the Greatest Domestic cricket tournament in the world (says not just every Indian, but Forbes too).



The last thing the world wants is to lose players playing at International level. And no one is gonna pay a million dollars to anyone for playing for 2 weeks. This is the biggest Sports league on the planet (says not just every Indian, but Forbes too). You can't fit the league in 2 weeks. Give it a month. And whether we like it or not, everyone wants to play the IPL from West Indies to NZ across the globe. Like Dan Vettori said, the players shouldn't be forced to choose between playing for the country and the IPL. Is creating a window that damn difficult? Do boards wanna be stubborn at the cost of loss of players?

This is just ridiculous. More and more players will come out this way and criticize their moronic boards and we as spectators havta pay for this admistrative "how dare India gets bigger than us" rubbish. :

The only reason the IPL is regarded as "decent" cricket is because of the international player's, without them it's rubbish.

The MLB, NBA, and the NFL say hi :sarcasm God the NRL and AFL are lightyears ahead in terms of how to run a tournament, the IPL isn't anywhere near the best sports league in the world.

 

[pcfan123]

The only reason the IPL is regarded as "decent" cricket is because of the international player's, without them it's rubbish.

The MLB, NBA, and the NFL say hi :sarcasm God the NRL and AFL are lightyears ahead in terms of how to run a tournament, the IPL isn't anywhere near the best sports league in the world.

^ This.

LOL at anyone who thinks the IPL is comarable to the NFL/MLB.

Its a bloody micky mouse league compared to the big boys.

 

[Params7]

IPL...it may look like its threatening World cricket..but its actually the key to spread more cricket interest in other parts of the world. T20 might give birth to renewed cricket interest in new geography but it will always be seen as gimmicky cricket and can't threaten ODIs and Tests.


Might sound far fetched..but just wait for one of the IPL's (or a model similar to IPL) to be hosted in the United States in a few years time, with sold out stadiums, and when Americans find out cricket isn't all about tea and crumpets, and more hardcore than Baseball.

Params7 added 1 Minutes and 41 Seconds later...

^ This.

LOL at anyone who thinks the IPL is comarable to the NFL/MLB.

Its a bloody micky mouse league compared to the big boys.

Give it time. Think what it will be in 20 years when it has already reached where it has in 2 years.

 

[SaiSrini]

So IPL looks like it might break the hold that the boards have had over the players with the contracts and stuff. Gets really interesting! There will come a time when the players all become free agents and the board will hire their services on a 'per series' or 'per tournament' basis. It will help both ways. The players wont be forced to do things they dont want to do. And also, some average players who survived because of their contracts will have to look elsewhere because the boards will then start looking for players who provide the best value for the freelance hiring.

 

[vishwa]

Well, if it is as bad as some people think, I guess the ECB, CA, CSA, CSL, CP, CUSA and other boards who have blindly aped the IPL, have to be really naive and stupid, isn't it?

I think people criticising it seem to be a bit jealous with its success maybe coz their own boards haven't been as successful with their ventures as has the BCCI