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[Howzat]

www.dailymail.co.uk/.../Freddie-Flintoff-Uncut-I-showed-smelling-alcohol-Playing-England-just-like-booze-cruise.html

Your thoughts?

[Johnny]

Link doesn't seem to work for me Leo - takes me to a Daily Mail webpage, but can't see any articles on Fred

[Johnny]

scratch that - found it. Interesting piece.

[westie]

anyone got a working link??

[parky]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-1214875/Freddie-Flintoff-Uncut-I-showed-smelling-alcohol-Playing-England-just-like-booze-cruise.html

[Talisman]

As a player he is good, as a man he comes across even with the help of his PR people and a ghost writer as a prat.

[Johnny]

Have you met him though? When he was made freeman of Preston I was invited to the ceremony as my father-in-law is on the council. He just seemed like a genuinely nice bloke. That was in 2006.

He does seem to have devleoped more of a swagger during his final test series.

[Buzz]

A certain former England Cricketer, Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff will announce at Old Trafford today that he will be retiring from all cricket.

He has agreed to be on strictly come dancing next year
edit: ok that last bit is nonsence, but it is a shame he wont get one last shot at glory.

For all his faults he was a wonderful match winner for England.

It also shows that if you want to have a long career, drinking and eating to excess is not the way to go...

[Colesy]

Just saw it on cricinfo

[mattw]

Massive shame.

One of those players who had the 'X Factor' in cricket.

[eaowbear]

One of those players you would stop everything to watch - awesome and I have always thought that he comes across as a decent down to earth chap. Not the worst farewell I suppose winning the Ashes!

The class of 2005 must be one of the most unlucky teams for injuries altho' I see that Simon Jones is playing in the latest match for Hampshire and picked up a few wickets

[Talisman]

I think his ego is far too big to be down to earth....

[pedaloboy]

Long running, established BBC sports quiz requires new captain. Criteria for position: retired English cricket all-rounder to follow in Beefy's footsteps.
It's only a matter of time!

[roco]

I for one will miss him as he had that something extra on the field that could change a game in an instant granted i think the fame after 2005 slowly got to him but a true match winner and fighter who would give his all on the field for his country

[Buzz]

Michael Vaughan has made this heartfelt tribute to Flintoff on twitter.

"Fred had a inbeleivable ability to put 6 bottles of beer in his mouth at once ... And down the lot.. Quite remarkable"