The Bob Woolmer Thread

Why does everybody take it for granted that Woolmer has done well as a coach? Just because of the hype about his laptop, his foreigner status and his past laurels of preparing a great SA team or do the facts and figures support the claim that he had done well?
I think his priorities are not right at all. he is too fond of media attention and gives too many unnecessary statements for my liking. Then again, he shuffles with the batsmen too much and has destroyed the confidence of a few (Butt for example).
I think its about time his status was being questioned and a debate started as to the advisability of his continuing his duties with the Pakistan team.
What say you?

Hello!

1. what can Woolmer do if all our tried and tested openers cant do anything about the opening?

2. What can Woolmer do at all to help our batsman play little more adequately according to the situation on the bouncy wicket and seeming condition? since PCB is still reluctant to make better wickets which could ever suit fast bowlers?

3. What could Woolmer do about Sami?

4. Woolmer cant teach Gul how he should bowl with the new ball?

5. Woolmer cant do anything about Kamran Akmal´s dropped catches?

6. Woolmer cant do anything about the selection of Faisal Iqbal, Farhat, Butt, Razzaq, Sami (Sami: since our all front line bowlers were injured )?


small tip for you, check out the stats what Woolmer has brought to the team.

Thats what I am interested to know: What exactly has he brought to the team, you tell me!

According to my opinion euphoria, that Paksitan side was insurmountable for its winning streak, has led them to poor performance, though people attributing it to the absense of key bowlers.

ehhh BW is the coach that won 3 test series in a row against top teams !

Since BW took over pak has not lost a test series at home !

Since Bw took over pak have won 4 or 5 odi series . . .

Please do not talk bakwaas . . . .

The point is - before woolmer took over Farhat, Taufiq, Yasir and Sami were potentially the most exciting prospects in World Cricket. Since Woolmer has taken over, they've become completely useless. And the reason for that is all Woolmer's fault and hardly difficult to prove.

As soon as he took over he broke up a successful opening partnership. First he forced Yasir to become an opener when he was doing perfectly fine at 1-down and then it became "get malik in at any cost" - a fact that he doesn't even deny. On his web-site he has openly said "we have to find a way to accommodate Malik in the side, at the moment we are tryin to get him to open or even keep wicket".

As for Sami, a kid who had an excellent start to his international career, yes he didn't have a great series Vs India in 2004, but then who did? 1st thing Woolmer did when he took charge was to reduce his run up. Immediately the kid had problems, lost his rhythm and even bowled a 17 ball over. Over time turned him into a medium pace trundler.

This is what Woolmer has achieved - cheers big man.

You can all call me a hater if you want. But try arguing against the "FACTS" I have put up.

Yes at HOME, HOME, HOME.....in 2 realistic series away from the subcontinent we have got clobbered - in the other against one of the worst WI sides ever we drew, something even cr@p old India (who have the worst record away from the subcontinent) even surpassed.

SHAMEFUL!

who told you that BW wanted sami to bowl from a shorter run up ?

who told you that BW wanted sami to bowl rubbish bowls wide outside off stump ?

Errr...Bob did himself! Search through the QA on his site!

Even if he did imran khan wanted the same from both sami and shoaib.

All i want to say is that why blame BW. Eng has not lost a home series for ages. Looking at our bowling for THIS SERIES and some umpiring faults there is not much do about it !

Bob has a record of this Naved - remember MCG test - Shoaib was at 125 because coach didnt believe they could win!

still back him as we have won quite a lot of series under him !

We cannot forget what Woolmer has done fo us and SA in the past. If you remember, he actually beat India in India with SA, a feat not too easy for the non-sub con teams.

Also, alot of people blame Woolmer for Yasir's demise, Farhat and so on. The only one I really agree with is Butt. Woolmer should not drop Butt. However, the rest it was their own doing.

Taufeeq began to look shaky, at the NZ series in Jan 2004, meanwhile he just did terrible in the tests. Yasir, has only scored 2 test centuires....against Bangladesh at home. Yasir's problem was that he fishes outside off stump and gets caught. And Farhat just has brain exploisions. Here is the thing where all these guys suffered from. A sophomore slump.

Everyone gets figured out. Look at Micheal Clarke, he got bamboozled in the Ashes but was Aussies golden boy. Jayawardene had that period where he struggled with the bat but than went to work on his problems and just lead Lanka to victory.

People get figured out, however it is upto the player to work hard and come back like Jaya. You can't blame Woolmer for any of the openers work ethics.

After this seris loss Woolmer will say that it is a welcome loss before the world cup and they got to learn something from this loss .

Anyway I will not be critical of Woolmer or the Pak team .They did put up a big total in the first innings but since Pak does not have a stable opening pair they are unable to put bigger runs on board .

Hope they are able to solve this opening problem soon .

Wishing the Pak team all the best in the next match .

I say, stick with Bob and Inzi until EC 07, ASK HIM/FORCE HIM TO STICK WITH BEST OPENNING PAIR AND BRING IN AT LEAST ONE GENUINE QUICK NEW BOWLER

Nah, he'll just say there were mitigating factors that resulted in the loss

He will also add the fact that the run outs are disastrous and need to end. But in the end, we had a very good 1st innings, so that's all that matters.

No, he needs time.....

So because Sami bowls well and Afridi isn't in the team, Woolmer gets the blame? Guys please end this, its really no use. Look where he has brought us from. We cannot win all the time and I guess it was time to lose.

Its not woolmer's fault. Inzamam is the one who choses the team

Blame it on Bob

For 3 catches not given out on 1st day

Strauus not given out on Kaneria 1st ball

Running between the wickets

Dropped catches

Short and poor bowling by Sami in the first innings

I believe that's the general way it works. Inzi's influence over team selection grew with Woolmer's appointment.

Woolmer cant do much about players that refuse to learn and grow.

Under Woolmer the likes of Younis, Malik, Afridi, Asif have all gone from also rans to world class or close to world class. Even MoYo has gone from the supposed FTB to a pressure sponge. Akhtar has turned from a Prima Donna into a team man and Razzaq's bowling has come on in leaps and bounds. Rana has become a monster ODI performer too, the same guy discarded after a few bad overs vs india by the previous management.

Now if our openers cant stop fishing outside off, or Sami cant stop bowling balls at the leg stump a coach cant go onto the field and perform for them. In fact today after the match Woolmer said the two hardest working Pakistani players were the two Y's and it shows in their performances!

It's easy to blame Woolmer and he's not perfect but he's done a lot for this team.

There are big question marks about Woolmer.

1) Why are there so many injuries to our fast bowlers, what is he doing to them?
2) Why are our openers not performing, what is he doing to their techneeks?
3) Why is Kamran dropping catches and how comes he got injured at Kent, which was Woolmer's home county?
4) Why are the umpires making so many mistakes against Pakistan, is he in collusion with them?
5) Remember he is English and it must be too painful for him to see his own country lose at home?
6) Why did he punch Inzy in the ribs to make him bat at 7 and make it harder to win the match?
7) Why is he always staring at his laptop and not working with Faisal Iqbal on the short ball.
8) Why has he destroyed the careers of Shabbir Ahmed and Fazle Akbar
9) Why has he destroyed the careers of Yasir Hameed and Bazid Khan.
10) Why has he had so much money paid to hios friend Jonty Rhodes and we are still dropping catches?

Wait til his Autobiography comes out for those answers...

"Bob Woolmer - Pakistan da Chacha"

good to see you back and you're on top form as usual

You can't blame Bob for this. He is only the coach, he is not physically playing for Pakistan. The eleven men on the field are the people who determine what happens.

ffs a coach cant only do so much

One aspect where the blame is square on his shoulders - of messing eternally with the batting order. Kami coming in as opener in the OT Test was the worst shocker of a move. Persisting with a limited batsman like Faisal is also highly questionable.

I'm afraid when you are taking the plaudits for the team's successes, you also need to take due share of the blame for its losses.

Asif has not become world class due to Woolmer! He has had major long stints at the Academy to get where he has. It's coaches like Aaqib who are largely responsible in improving Asif's bowling technique.

I wonder what magic his friend Jonty did with the team. All the gimmicks seem a sham now with fielding and catching as woeful as it has ever been for upwards of a decade. Granted that he did not have a magic wand to set the ills right overnight, but frankly it all seems to have gone worse. The best slipper per Jonty - Farhat, the coach's favorite has been the worst culprit.

The biggest characteristics Bob has is his neutrality. He is not biased towards anybody. All the Pakistani coaches had been involved in politics which made this game dirty. We have consistency and we achieved something with the least experienced team which did not even achieve with super stars. Remember comments of Wasim and Sarfraz Nawaz before India seriers? They thought our team will be a guinea pig for a very experienced and a very good Indian side.

Why is that when ever Pakistan lose people question Bob position as coach. Why is that when England lost to Pakistan people in England did not question the status of their coach. Why it that some sections of Pak supporters, media and ex-cricketers have this irrational fear or hate for Bob. By all independent accounts Bob is regarded as the best coach in the world, and he trying to bring structure and professionalism into the most backward and disorganised cricketing nations. Instead of supporting him and thanking him for the improvements he has been able to make to our national side, we pull the knives out each time the team loses.

Please remember that all successful people in this world are those who do act upon their emotions, but rather make logical and objective decisions. This defeat is painful, but should not de-rail the progress the team is making. We have to learn from the mistakes, fine-turn the strategy, and above all keep faith in the side.

..........and also a place buzzing with some truly magnificent talented cricketers.

There is not anything disorganized or backwards at NCA - the meeting place and honing place of our future cricketers. It is all pretty well laid out and very well-organised as a matter of fact.

LOL no 1 was correct BW said we lost 2 a better team simple !

Geezzz even the aus were not so negative after the ashes

Farhad, if iam not mistaken, Bob had said he didn't want the order changed. So I won't blame him for that fiasco.

Much as I agree in general with a lot of Naved's posts, this excuse making exercise for that leech - sami is absolutely misguided. To blame BW/Inzi for that impotence is nonsense.

Yaar, then whose fault is it that the batting order has been messed up so frequently all the time? Bob has indeed talked of the "flexibility" that we have in batting, clearly referring to how many positions various batsmen can bat at. Somebody needs to take the blame for this. It cannot be swept under the carpet.

Regarding Sami - he just needs a break - and a long one at that.

Regarding openers situaiton in the England series, I suspect it was Inzi's choice. Previously, I would blame him, for the England series alone, based on his interviews (as everything aainst him is), I'd say he isn't to be blamed.

i think its aout time u look at our series victories in the last two years. one series loss doesnt make a team and the coach incompetent

Yeah Shameful isn't it. It is More shameful if we peep into the history and find out what our so called greats did. When did we Win a Test Series in Australia, when did we win one in South Africa, WHEN DID WE WIN A SERIES IN WEST INDIES.
On the other hand Before Bob Woolmer Took over we Lost to AUSTRALIA AT HOME, LOST TO ZIMBABWE AT HOME, LOST TO SRILANKA AT HOME, LOST TO INDIA AT HOME, LOST TO ENGLAND AT HOME two of the most heart breaking moments for me i.e loss to India and England AND ANY OTHER TEAM WHO COULD GATHER ELEVEN PLAYERS USED TO BEAT US IN OUR OWN BACKYARD FOR FUN.
The 3-0 whitewash against the Aussies wasn't the first One. It Started when our so called Great Team under Waseem went on the presumption that they are going to win the series. Next time they toured us on neutral grounds they bulldozed us and beat the day lights out of us (FYI Bob wasn't coaching at that time too).
Naveed you seem to suggest that Pakistan were champions abroad and they demolished every opposition that dared to host them.
get it in your mind. BEFORE BOB WOOLMER PAKISTAN WAS PATHETIC ABROAD AND PATHETIC at home too. And you are complaining against the person who at least regained the Fortress Status of Pakistan...

I dont think woolmer has been under much pressure yet..

from title of the thread, for second, I hought it will be positive thread. BUT.......
take defeat like man and accpt that Eng played better then our players in all departments in this series.