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ClarenceSquare

Listed below are comments made by ClarenceSquare between Friday, 13th June 2008 and Sunday, 8th February 2009.

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Mallett's mad experiment backfires 09:50am on 08 Feb 2009 Ellis and Cueto looked international class.
Goode was one-dimensional.
The line-out was okay, the scrum a bit dodgy.
Otherwise there was a distinct lack of discipline, inspiration, pattern and precision.
A HUGE improvement is necessary or the England rugby side will mirror the cricket one and be humiliated in the match with Wales
Silly enough to let history repeat itself? 1:05pm on 04 Feb 2009 Define what you are talking about, please, Andrew.
On the just completed Daily Politics you discussed the 'D' word, without (to my knowledge) attempting a definition.

One meaning of an economic "depression" is a decline or drop of 10% in the GDP of a country.

We were in a "recession" before it was officially recognized (2 successive quarterly drops in GDP). People need to be made aware of the meaning we attach to language - as Nick Robinson observed on your programme!!
Bank of England: wrong and powerless 1:36pm on 22 Dec 2008 John Varley seems to absolve Barclay's Bank of any criticism yet feels the need to apologize on behalf of the Banking Industry.

Breath-taking arrogance from a Bank which has gone to the Gulf States for survival on terms that stifle Barclay's recovery!

These bankers must think we are complete idiots to carry on behaving the way they are!!!
Is Phelps really the greatest? 09:36am on 14 Aug 2008 How can you possibly COMPARE a swimmer with an athlete, a rower, a boxer,a rifle shooter, a beach volley-baller..........?

A ludicrous exercise.

Stick to comparing Phelps with other swimmers competing in the same conditions in the same era. In that regard he is the "most successful".

THAT is ALL you can say,factually.

All the rest is opinion. Entertaining, perhaps.....but ultimately of no significance and contrary to the Olympic ideals of respect to the integrity and value of EACH individual event!
Is Phelps really the greatest? 8:21pm on 13 Aug 2008 A discus thrower would have to compete for over 40 years in order to gain 11 gold medals.

The only thing we know is that Phelps is the dominant swimmer in the current format.

He is exceptional. Yes.
A legend. Probably, but only time will tell.
The "best" Olympian. NO. Nobody is that.

Comparisons are spurious, impossible to make and .........in the end, demeaning to all other Olympic Champions ... be they a beach volleyballer or a rifle shooter ...or any other Olympic "discipline".
Is Phelps really the greatest? 5:14pm on 13 Aug 2008 Let's not make ridiculous comparisons between unrelated Olympic events.
How well Michael Phelps would do jumping over a bar, throwing a discus, running 1500 metres is not known!
Let's stick to saying he is an amazing swimmer. His "athleticism" in the water (speed, stamina, technique...) is
outstanding. In Olympic Swimming Medals his total has surpassed previous winners.
This does not make him the best ATHLETE ever, or even now.
Comparisons between sports, disciplines and eras are meaningless.
It shows over-hype and is anti-Olympian in its spirit.
Medals recognize specific achievement. They don't measure overall "greatness"!
Pietersen will bring a new style of leadership 10:07am on 05 Aug 2008 1. Most top class players can adapt to Test and ODI's otherwise they aren't top.

2 The top rated International teams have 2 or 3 players with the maturity and experience to take over the captaincy - .e.g Australia and SA and India.

3 English counties invite overseas players to captain their sides! The 3 countries mentioned wouldn't dream of doing that. So EQP's (England Qualified Players) have limited opportunities to gain captaincy experience and especially when they are centrally contracted.

4 Until the ECB and counties really develop English players from the grass roots and spend the huge amount of money available in nurturing home-grown talent we will remain short of proven candidates for senior jobs.

5.I suggest that Cook is an example of a player who HAS been nurtured properly since his considerable talent was identified. There should be more like him with leadership potential. The population of this country dwarfs Australia, SA, NZ,Sri Lanka, West Indies!!

Conclusion: Until we learn to produce a stream of top class young EQP's we will have no real choice for captaincy and teams that lack balance.
Pietersen revels in his coronation 11:13pm on 04 Aug 2008 There was no real aternative if the selectors wanted the same person to captain the Test team, the ODI team and the T/20 slog.
Most top International teams would have 3 or 4 more players all certain of their places and all capable of leading the side - certainly Australia.
For a country with a potentially huge reservoir of cricketers(cf. pop. Australia, NZ, SA, Sri Lanka, West Indies).... and awash with money from TV and sponsorship we have low standards in our domestic cricket.
Hence the counties import players. So don't blame someone from SA for being proud to captain England if our ECB can't develop class players from the grass roots.
England outplay jaded Kiwis 7:20pm on 18 Jun 2008 Jonathan: When England play very well they ARE capable of beating anyone. When they don't play so well..... they are capable of losing to ANYONE!
Limited over cricket is like that. One big innings; one good bowling spell is enough to win it. You know that.
Let's celebrate when England win matches but not get too carried away!
Six strings and 20 overs 12:19pm on 13 Jun 2008 Sorry, Graeme, but true cricket fans aren't interested in meaningless games of cricket.
Of what significance is a game between an "England XI" playing for personal money against a group of Stanford "All-stars"?
It won't be a first class fixture, it isn't against a recognized representative team, it is in the basest form of cricket (highly contrived), it has no connection with any other form of cricket -------it is to satisfy a billionaire's ego. Sadly that person despises the full form of the game and is on a mission to elevate T/20 over and beyond other purer forms of the game.
I don't blame you for wishing to earn £500,000 in 3 hours.
Just don't try and kid yourself and others that it has anything to do with real SPORT or TRUE CRICKET.
You may be playing in England colours (if you get picked). You won't be representing ENGLAND.
Not sure why you have been chosen to do a blog for the BBC. I'm not interested in your private life, music tastes or anything else. I am interested in the development of English cricket, at all levels, from youth to Test.
Good luck with developing your skills as an all-rounder. How you field, bat and bowl is
of concern and potential interest , not what you might earn!

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