England coaches also fined for boozing - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

England coaches also fined for boozing

21/03/2007 06:01:37 AM Comments (0)

England coaches Kevin Shine and Jeremy Snape have been fined for their part in Friday's drinking session, sources familiar with the matter have said.

Six players were fined on Saturday for breaching team discipline following Friday's defeat by New Zealand while Andrew Flintoff was stripped of the World Cup vice captaincy and dropped from Sunday's win over Canada.

Head coach Duncan Fletcher said on Monday he had spoken to the two coaches and it has now resulted in fines. Spin coach Snape was only drafted into England's World Cup backroom staff earlier this month.

After leaving a nightclub close to the team's St Lucia hotel, it was alleged that Flintoff got into a pedalo on the water in the early hours and later needed to be rescued after falling off it, according to British media reports.

"There's no secret we had a few drinks on Friday. It's been documented in the press what happened afterwards with a little bit of poetic licence," a downbeat Flintoff told reporters at the hotel.

"There was water involved and a pedalo as well. But I don't want to go into detail. I don't think my life was in danger.

"It's something that I'm not proud of and something which shouldn't have happened. Being left out for these reasons is something I'm upset about and I never want to happen again."

More revelations about Friday's antics have appeared in British newspapers, with some witnesses saying the players were so drunk in the nightclub they were kissing each other.

James Anderson, Jon Lewis, Ian Bell, Paul Nixon and Liam Plunkett were the other players fined.

Coaches Kevin Shine and Jeremy Snape, who was only drafted into England's backroom staff at the start of the month, were also involved in the drinking session but have not been fined.

Head coach Duncan Fletcher said they should have stepped in to stop the partying.

"We have spoken to those two individuals. They made an error of judgement," he said.

Fletcher was generally philosophical about the whole incident.

"I don't really feel let down. There are times in everyone's life you need some discipline. I will always support Andrew," he said.

"The players can go out. They've been around a long time and know how to behave."

Flintoff, who has slimmed down considerably from his early cricket days, would not comment in detail about having the vice-captaincy taken away but was focused on Saturday's final group game with Kenya.

"Hopefully, I get picked on Saturday to play against Kenya.

"I've had things in my career before when I was younger that I had to come back from.

"I'm not a teenager anymore, I'm not a lad. I've got responsibilities."

Flintoff stopped short of making the rest of the trip alcohol-free, saying he thought a glass of wine with dinner was acceptable.

"Sometimes I get a little bit carried away. It is no secret I like a drink," he added.

"I desperately want to perform. I feel I let the team down over the weekend. All I can do is apologise."

As he left the news conference, Flintoff was applauded by tourists and England fans in the hotel lobby.

He signed autographs, shook hands and posed for photographs.

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