Behind the Shades

View other editions of Behind the Shades.
View books by Duncan Fletcher.

Lot of fuss over a dull and bitter book - Rated
I bought this expecting a lively and revealing read. Instead, it was a protracted exercise in settling old scores. Time and again Fletcher reports, 'and he said afterwards that he realised I had been right all along' or 'I was the best coach he'd ever had'.
For someone who has achieved so much it was embarrassing. All the revelations about Flintoff or Trescothick have been discussed by now so I don't see any reason to buy this.

Bitter and cynical - Rated
I have endless admiration for Duncan Fletcher and his fine achievements for England but this book is myopic, cynical, vengeful rubbish and it saddens me that someone can have such a gifted lifestyle and be intoxicated with the need to gripe about every critical thing anyone ever said about him.

The most honest cricket book around. - Rated
Duncan Fletcher was the man who put the verve back into the England cricket team. Reading his memoirs one is reminded what a dedicated, thorough and disciplined man he was. This book is a joy as it reminds the reader of the many series victories that Mr Fletcher and the boys won. Of course, the book has its serial villains; and the likes of Boycott, Botham and assorted press writers play very much a full role in his downfall. The winners, though, are many throughout; Hussain, Giles, Atherton, men of character and good charm. Fletcher is especially illuminating on the subject of batting 'deep' in the order; with his favourite Ashley Giles appearing with much deserved regularity. Ultimately, we are reminded that Fletcher gelled a team of individuals into a fighting force, a force that eventually won the Ashes. A team that lacked the 'superstars' of old and yet a team that won on its merits. Merits that included discipline and togetherness. This book should be required reading for any who seek to achieve sporting greatness, in whatever field they choose.

Honest - Rated
A few of the newspaper reviews of this book suggested it was little more than a self-pitying whinge.

It turned out, however, to be an interesting take on the inside track of modern international sport and those who run and play it.

Since Duncan Fletcher was the coach of the first England team to win the Ashes for the best part of 20 years and was still the coach when the team rather meekly surrendered them a couple of years later, the book necessarily spends a lot of time discussing those two series. He does, however, map the changes in the game during his lifetime, to interesting and insightful effect.

While Fletcher does, as one might expect of a coach, go into some detail about technical aspects of the game (when and how certain shots should be played and certain deliveries should be bowled), I suspect the most interesting parts of the book for most readers will be those where he shines a light on some of the game's heroes, sung and unsung, both on and off the field. His opinions can be strident and he clearly has something of an axe to grind with some aspects of the administration of cricket and with certain individuals; however, the measured, even restrained, tone adopted makes for an interesting and thought-provoking read.