Clarke was the mid 20's year old in a team of aging stars, the Katich incident the team wanted to celebrate the win in the sheds as a team while Clarke wanted them to rap things up to take off with Lara Bingle and have a good time ;)... you can't blame either side really.
Let’s be honest; a knockabout bloke like Symonds is bound to approach things differently to a posing underwear model. Others may know about Katich, but I vaguely remember him going crook about Clarke’s influence in his non-selection.
Symonds was quite petty at times. Pup gets raked over the coals, but Symonds tends to get a free run even though e was too loose for much of his career.
Honestly I can’t remember too many specifics but he had a drinking problem for a number of years, and sometimes he wouldn’t even show up to training because he chose to go fishing instead (and they weren’t optional sessions either lol). This was exacerbated by the fact that he wasn’t a lock in the team at the time. Also, (I may be miss-remembering it, but) during the infamous monkey gate incident he was basically abusing Harbhajan Singh in the lead-up to the altercation (not that the justifies what HS did though). There is an Australian cricket show called “cricket legends” where Robert Craddock interviews him, and Symonds himself lays his career out pretty starkly if you can track it down. Hope that helps
@johnnytheprickagreed mate. At the end of the day only the guys who were in the dressing room know the truth. I just felt sorry for pup as at the time I remember thinking he was a tool as only half the true was conveyed. Hard to tell though either way though!
@@Gorilla_warfare I think the drinking problem was over blown and it was not just Symonds fishing lol. It was Haydos and all the top players he was just out of form and took the blame for it. Also Racism plays a part in someones demeanor especially when Clarke didn't stand up for him at the time
Mate if you remember back then in the 08 India scandal with them calling him a monkey, cricket Australia didn't have his back because they were scared India would leave and cost them alot of money. I think ppl forget he was an orphan, the bloke was the most down to earth in the shed, Ponting even rated symonds as the best fielder ever as his top 5. Symonds even said he was over cricket because of the politics. Clarke has been full of shit for a long time, wouldn't believe him over symonds imo.
@@Yu10l10 I think the Indian team claimed Harbajhan called him a "mu** f**" in either Punjabi or Hindi. I just looked it up, looks closer to Punjabi. But they couldn't over-publicise that either, so it could have been a lose-lose situation.
Well we'll well.. I admire so much of pup. Cos he is crystal clear not like his predestrial caps or players.. Well only one thing I want to say about pup.. He was really a Aussie but on gentle ways.. #its not a crime.
Tactically he was the best captain of his era. But for whatever reason the environment was toxic under him. He got the team to no.1 with a very average team at times. You’ve got to respect that despite his flaws.
Symonds decided to go fishing instead of attending a team meating during a series in Bangladesh so Clarke sent him home, fair call although at the time it hurt the Aussies, I loved watching Symonds play, he was a true loss to the team.
Clarke didn't have his back when it was important that he stuck his neck out for him. Instead looking only for his own interests at potentially leading the team one day he turned his back on him and spoke publicly about his behavior instead of keeping it in house. If you were stuck in the trenches don't count on Clarkey sticking his head out.
True storey is that Training that day was scheduled for the arvo but changed at the last minute. Simonds had already gotten up to go fishing and missed the rescheduling of the training session.
Michael Clarke remains my favourite Aussie cricketer of the last two decades. Michael Slater is the other that I love and admire just as much. Clarke was a supremely classy batsman and outstanding skipper. He has my undying admiration and respect.