Coach defends Clarke’s bar hangout on eve of Ashes’ loss
January 21st, 2011 - 7:30 pm ICT by IANSSydney, Jan 21 (IANS) Australian cricket coach Tim Nielsen has come to the defence of Michael Clarke and Phillip Hughes, who were spotted in a Melbourne bar a night before their team lost the Boxing Day Test against England.Australian media reported that Clarke and Hughes were seen at the city’s World Restaurant and Bar, where they drank till late night and posed with fans including the members of the Barmy Army. The next morning, Australia lost the Test match and England retained the Ashes after 24 years.
But Nielsen Thursday said he did not find anything wrong in the behaviour of Clarke and Hughes in the pictures showed to him.
“They were out for dinner. All the information we received straight after the incident was that they were out for dinner together and nothing but polite and courteous to the people out in the public,” Nielsen told SEN radio.
“These guys are playing cricket all day, every day. And they are never playing at home.”
“They posed for photographs and signed autographs, they talked about the Test match. I can promise you they would not have been feeling great because we were under pressure in the Test and going to the fourth day looking like the Ashes were going to be lost.
“I don’t really mind what anybody says. But I can’t expect - I won’t expect - any of my players to sit in their hotel room for 250 nights of the year, especially if they are having a bad day or a good day.”
Earlier, a Melbourne-based woman Emily Goodyear told The Daily Telegraph that she flirted with Clarke and Hughes for 45 minutes before leaving while they were still around.
- Nielsen defends Clarke, Hughes over 'out on town' drinking before losing Ashes - Jan 20, 2011
- Clarke and Hughes were drinking 12 hours before Ashes debacle - Jan 18, 2011
- Oz cricketers Clarke, Hughes were 'out on town' drinking before losing Ashes - Jan 18, 2011
- Australia will be back at the top, says ex-coach Nielsen - Jan 19, 2012
- Clarke is finished unless he changes his footwork: Kim Hughes - Jan 11, 2011
- Oz cricketers attending breakfast functions ahead of Tests 'supreme error of judgment' - Jan 15, 2011
- Cricket Australia defends fielding coach Young's part-time appointment - Dec 13, 2010
- Ponting predicts 'niggles' to continue in Boxing Day Ashes Test - Dec 25, 2010
- Oz opener Hughes told to tighten technique if he wants to retain spot - Dec 21, 2010
- Hilditch, Nielsen could lose jobs under CA shake-up - Feb 09, 2011
- Cricket Australia retains Nielsen as coach - Aug 24, 2010
- Bramy Army delirious following England's smashing Ashes success - Jan 08, 2011
- Booze-bender leaves England stars with hangovers after Melbourne Test win - Jan 01, 2011
- England beat Australia to retain Ashes Down Under after 24 years - Dec 29, 2010
- Cricket Australia must hand full-time contract to fielding coach Young: Lehmann - Dec 13, 2010
Tags: 24 years, australian cricket, autographs, barmy army, boxing day, boxing day test, daily telegraph, goodyear, hangout, having a bad day, hotel room, jan 21, late night, melbourne, michael clarke, morning australia, next morning, nielsen, playing at home, test match