Time to lay off Pietersen

After today coming out and acknowledging that his remarks may have been taken the wrong way and that they were ill-advised isn't it now the time for people to get off Kevin Pietersen's back and let him get on with preparing for Friday's deciding ODI with West Indies. Nasser Hussain was the latest to let Pietersen know what he thought today - ironically in his own newspaper column - about the interview he gave to the Daily Mail last week.

Look at the facts what exactly has Pietersen said or done that was so out of order? He asked the England management team if he could go home for 48 hours between Test Matches to see his wife, this request was turned down and Pietersen accepted this and got on with it. What is so wrong with that? He has now also accepted that this was an unreasonable request and realises he made a mistake - no great issue surely.

The remark about doing a Robinho was apparently a tongue-in-cheek off the record remark which Pietersen made, sure it was a mistake to say something like that in front of a journalist, he then went on to say that he wants to come home and see his wife and that he is feeling a bit homesick, again was it really that bad? The press often complain about getting bland interviews off sports people, that they always get the stock answer, played with a straight bat if you like. Here we have a bloke who gives his honest opinion and he gets slaughtered for it.

In his newspaper article he criticized Samit Patel and Shiv Chanderpaul. He said that Samit Patel had been warned about his level of fitness as far back as when he was captain around about the time of the tour to India. Has Patel listened? Clearly not, Pietersen was merely stating that he couldn't understand Patel's attitude, that here was his chance to represent his country and he couldn't be bothered to get himself fit. A criticism that surely anybody could understand, again what has he done wrong?

To criticize Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the way he did was perhaps a bit out of order, what goes on with West Indies team is really none of his business. Entitled to his opinion he is, but maybe this is a view he should have kept to himself. But then to hear David Lloyd on Sky Sports having a go at Pietersen over the irony that he injured his back bowling to Chanderpaul was ridiculous, sure Pietersen was wrong to say what he did but he didn't stage manage the injury to gain maximum publicity, if you listened to Lloyd he would have you believe that he did when he said that Pietersen can't keep himself out of the news.

Nothing against Lloyd as I like listening to him and his commentary is entertaining and livens up proceedings on dull days but he is very one eyed when it comes to critizising England players, fellow Lancastrians Flintoff and in particular James Anderson never have bad days or bad games if you believe what Lloyd says, indeed the amount of time Anderson has been unlucky is staggering, come on read the stats they don't lie Lloyd!

Let us not forget the way the captaincy was taken away from Kevin, clearly it still hurts and listening to him he hasn't got over it yet. Who knows in a few months – I know it dose not seem like it now - we might be thanking Pietersen for getting rid of Peter Moores if the England team can start to move forward under a more internationally accomplished coach.

This is also the man who said he wouldn't stand for any flashy behaviour and insensitivity from his players if they won the 1 million dollar Stanford match in light of people back home losing their jobs and homes during the recession, this is the man who played a large part in getting the England team to go back to India after the Mumbai atrocities, people seem quick to forget these things.

West Indies are slight favourites at 10/11 Sportingbet for the deciding ODI on Friday. England can be backed at Evens with Totesport.


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