Fighting (verbal) in the Training Camp?

[Fazal]

What happened in the dressing room?
Sports Reporter

The preliminary camp of the Bangladesh team for next-month's home series against India reportedly experienced an unsavory incident involving Bangladesh Under-19 coach Richard McInnes and a senior cricketer at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

It was learnt that the Australian coach, who has been supervising training in the absence of Dav Whatmore who returns today following a break in Australia, was locked in a heated exchange with former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mashud in the dressing room.

According to sources, McInnes had asked at the beginning of yesterday's practice whether they were interested to train at the camp or join the practice of their respective clubs of the Dhaka Premier league. 14 out of the 21 players in the preliminary squad who had matches today, took the second option.

This reportedly infuriated the 30-year-old Australian who told them to leave the ground. McInnes later found Mashud taking a message in the dressing room and the two ended up having a fight as the coach wanted explanation on why the wicketkeeper hadn't already left.

Chief selector Faruque Ahmed visited the BNS and discussed the incident with Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar and McInnes. When asked, Faruque however expressed his ignorance about anything untoward taking place. But Bangladesh Cricket Board's advisor and chairman of the media committee Reazuddin Al-Mamun admitted the confrontation.

"I have heard about it. I think it was a misunderstanding between McInnes and a player. We can only elaborate after knowing all the facts," said Mamun.

Mamun said the board was considering releasing players from the national camp before their premier division games to avoid confusion.

"We are committed to our respective clubs also. But we are not even allowed to play the practice matches of the clubs which we feel are more important than the relentless physical training at the national camp," said a Bangladesh cricketer criticising what many say is 'over-emphasis' on fitness training in the preliminary camp.

source: http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/11/25/d41125040234.htm

Edited on, November 24, 2004, 7:54 PM GMT, by Fazal.

[ZunaidH]

I did not get it. So the coach did offer two options. And some took the one of going to their respective clubs. If he did not want anyone to do that, I am curious why he made the option available. Or am I just readin this wrong. Can someone please help?

[rassel]

Pilot took the second option and he still stayed around BNS for free massage, which made the coach mad. Nothing more to it!

[ZunaidH]

Originally posted by rassel
Pilot took the second option and he still stayed around BNS for free massage, which made the coach mad. Nothing more to it!

So what does this mean?

"This reportedly infuriated the 30-year-old Australian who told them to leave the ground."

I think the coach was expecting to take the first option. Something in the line "no" means "yes". I think press is probably making a big deal out of it. So what if he was a bit angry. Coahes have that right.

[Pundit]

And lets all not make it a big deal either ! Lets move on !

[tnb]

NewAge's report on the incident is less fuzzy. Link

"McInnes started the practice with the available players. Once he noticed that one of the released players was taking massage at the BNS, he vehemently opposed it that resulted in the squabble"

Bechara. Ektu fao message nibo sheitao gorom mathar coacher jonno hoitase na.

[BD Tigers]

This is very funny. Anyway, I hope this doesn't linger too long. We have enough problem on our plate to worry abt silly things like this.

[Beamer]

And there is a clear difference in the account of the incident in various newpapers. The bengali newspapers are always pretty harsh towards him. Prothom alo's report is murky ( I find their cricketing artcles to be generally good but they tend to fictionalize everything a bit..even their match reports are like story telling sometimes). Won't really ever know what really happened. There will be conflicting reports as always and sooner it goes away the better. No matter what transpired, an athletes no.1 priority should be training, as there are no easy way around. Period. Could the coach have handled things better? ( once again not sure what really happened )Probably Yes. I am willing to give him the benefit of doubt, only beacuse, his teams have done better for us ( U-19 ) and he seems to be pretty passionately involved with them. So, he maybe emotionally too invloved that comes with passion. And, he has been frank and candid with us in this forum.

[Zephaniah]

Absolutely agree with you Beamer. Coach may have done better on this one but his commitment towards BD cricket should not go amiss either.

[shaoun]

the incident happened between khaled mashud and the coach. i dont blame the coach for getting angry at the players. i mean the guy could of taken the day off and sent all the players to practice with their clubs. it offended him when 14 of the 21 players wanted to practice with their clubs instead with him. and when he saw mashud getting massage in the dressing room it upseted him even more. maybe he was thinking that this guy rather get massage then practice. i can understand the coach getting upset. hopefully they will solve this problem amongst themselves.

[SS]

Mashud getting massage instead of practice..that's how the BD players are ...all lazy bums...and playing for a country to your club...if a coach says it happens they practice....this country we all support..."ki bichottro aei desh"...
they never can win and they take massage and also they go to "club" practice...

[rafiq]

My sources indicate that the other 13 who took off were actually seen lounging around Dhaka Club, practising snooker. They misunderstood "club" practise.

Edited on, November 25, 2004, 7:05 AM GMT, by rafiq.

[chyicarus]

well, if thats the spirit of the BD "tigers" then whats the point in having such discussion board? whats the point in scrutinizing our player's performance? Well at least we know why we aren't achieving success in International Cricket.
We bangalis don't understand the meaning of keeping one's foot on the ground no matter how popular and famous we become!

[PoorFan]

Our coach did the right thing.
If someone has taken off for practice with club which he selected by himself,
how come coach found him taking message in dressing room?
He should be gone for practice with club as he committed.
This is just one of our irresponsible and unaccountable cultural character show.
If a senior player don't respect his coach by his own words,
how come other or young player can keep their words and commitment?
How can a coach expect the command of chain in the team, with these kind of players?
It's so sad that it was Pilot, I was expecting him as a next captain.....but sounds bad now.

[cricketfan]

Such indiscipline comes naturally to sub continental people. However, leading sportsmen are supposed to be exceptions.

[SS]

"leading sportsmen" of our country thus put our country down. You do fun when there is a break or vacation which they get a lot. That's the perfect example of our cricket professionalism. This is just an incident got reported because with direct involvment with head coach. Imagine these players all the time planning, and thinking in their "own" ways all the time. These never gets reported. But we know it because our nature. We can't help it, even we have good intension we are too helpless and hopeless to help improve our nations, players and pride. In few years, may be forty or fifty we will change in such a way that these activities will be "normal" to all of us including to the helpless people who want "change". They will be also one of them.

[mahbubH]

I do not understand Masud's fault. Coach asked who want to skip the practice to join respective clubs net. Most of them agreed to that because they have a game in next day. I assume it happend in the morning. What the player should do then .... leave the stadium as soon as possible and join the club practice! Even if the practice is scheduled in the afternoon they had to leave the BNS because they opted to skip!

Whatever you guys think ... I think Masud had no fault and he can take a massage before leaving BNS if that helps him. Given Masud's contribution to BD cricket he should get little bit more respect in such situation from a stop-gap coach of the national team!

[AsifTheManRahman]

[akabir77]

Well first of all in our culture you r not suppose to fight with your boss/elders/coaches but pilots background suggests other wise. And that’s why even though he had a good cricket knowledge he failed as captain and I hope he never become one again. I have heard when Imran khan was captain of Pakistan no one could speak in front of him they were so afraid of him and also he didn’t gave anyone else the chance to criticize him as he performed…

And also Coach should know that most of these players have no educational background and that’s why I guess they don’t understand the importance of hard work. I guess he thought even though he gave them 2 choices every one will take the 2nd choice as the practice with national team suppose to be harder than the club… but as we all r - the lazy *** Bengali players took the 1st choice and that should tick any hardworking people off….

I guess until we get some more players with good background and pride we will be losing like these. And talking about pilot’s performance he is the best at this moment but with his behavior he will be best not great… Every one knows Mohammad Ali not for his fight only for his heart too but who remembers other fighters? …

[billah]

BCCB has already decided to let the Premier league players practice at their clubs. Knowing McInnes' tough fitness regimen, I'm surprised any of the players decided to stay. Richard asked the wrong question. I'm sure the management did not give the coach clear instructions over his jurisdiction or procedure here. Why else would he get so mad?

Masud is one of the fittest players of the team. He has been known not to be diplomatic. He's been performing well and lead the team recently. Authority always seems to go to his head, like in the past. He surely took some liberty here. Mixing it with an already irked coach probably caused the incident to boil over. Another black eye before an important series.

[BushidoTiger]

I don't think any of the BD players knows the concept of 'work ethic'. The coach seemed to show up to work in hopes of seeing some commitment especially from those 'seasoned(!)' players.
If I were the coach (McInnes or Whatmore), I too would've been pretty irked after seeing that kinda behavior from a player.
Most of the guys are probably content with putting the minimum amount of work. The result obviously reflects their attitude.

[cricketfan]

BushidoTiger has hit the nail bang on target.

[Shish Ahmed]

The bottom line is 'Hard Work' most of the boys don't like to work too hard, all the coach is doing is trying to get them to their peak so they perform well. I even got that feeling with the under 19 boys when they were in England except for a few exceptions who seemed eager to train. They all want to do so much they do not want to go that extra step.

I would love to see the difference betwenn an Aussie training session and bangladesh training session.

[AsifTheManRahman]

10 years ago, the clubs used to make sure that the players go to club matches even when national team camps were on. The BCB had nothing to say to that, and the layers were pissed. "How can we do well if we are not allowed to go to camp before tours?" they would say. However, this incident simply proves that those were just excuses for their bad performances overseas. As they have shown, given the choice, they still would have gone to club matches. I wonder what excuse they would come up with then.

McInnes gave them an attitude test, and they failed it. A nation whose players prefer club cricket over international cricket should simply quit playing all forms of cricket altogether, or at least ban those who chose to leave. BCB should stop wasting money behind undedicated players.

[FaltuRidwanBhai]

well the thing is the media is already mad with macinnes. tai akhon oi maccinnes choto kichu korleo media ar dayitto hochhe oitake akhon fulay fapay akta uponnash lekha. thats what our sports reporters are trying to do. i dont think there is more than that.