Betrayed - Freddie's father blasts Fletcher over revelations

Fletcher's outspoken attack in his new book on Flintoff's drinking habits while England captain, revealed in Sportsmail this week, has left the all-rounder bitterly hurt as he battles to save his career.

Flintoff, 29, is recovering at his villa in Florida following a fourth operation on his chronically weak left ankle and while he is yet to respond to Fletcher's comments, his father Colin broke the family's silence on the affair yesterday.

"These comments from Duncan Fletcher have really upset Andrew," said Flintoff senior at his home in Lancashire. "I have spoken to him about this and he is not a happy man. The golden rule is that what goes on in the dressing room stays in the dressing room. Fletcher has betrayed Andrew's confidence and broken that rule."

Fletcher, who quit as England coach in April, revealed how Flintoff turned up drunk for a practice session during England's one-day tour of Australia early this year, forcing the coach to abandon the session.

He seriously considered stripping Flintoff of the captaincy and leaving him out of the following day's game at Sydney but decided against dropping "a national hero".

Flintoff was one of the few players to work under Fletcher who was never really close to the coach during his largely-successful eight years at the helm.

Fletcher believed Flintoff refused to adopt his methods to improve his batting, while Flintoff felt Fletcher's communication skills were poor.

Now there will be a rift between the two which will be impossible to heal.

"There is no bigger team player than Andrew and he has always given his heart and soul to England," continued Colin Flintoff. "I am upset that Fletcher has done it for the sake of his book. Although Andrew is hurt by these comments, he will come back a stronger person."

Flintoff has been ruled out of England's forthcoming Test tour to Sri Lanka and the trip to New Zealand which follows in February and March. He is hoping to return for next season's domestic programme but that is far from certain after so much surgery on his ankle.

The man who did more than any player to win the Ashes for England in 2005 may conceivably have played his last game for his country and Fletcher's comments have been interpreted by many as kicking a popular man while he is down.

Yet others have welcomed Fletcher's honest opinions of unprofessional episodes which did more than anything to bring the coach's reign to a bitter conclusion.

Another to feel a sting from Fletcher's pen is former England opener and current TV commentator Geoff Boycott, who clashed with the England coach on a number of occasions over players and selections.

Boycott hit back last night, saying: "He spent his eight years with England spouting about loyalty and keeping everything within the team. As soon as he finishes, what does he do? He gets stuck into Flintoff.

"Fletcher is a hypocrite and should be ashamed of himself," Boycott added in his Daily Telegraph column.

"Fletcher had some good things to offer. But if he accepted the plaudits and praise for the team's successes he should have accepted some of the blame for last winter's shambles.

"He was supposed to be the face of English cricket, but he was always curmudgeonly. He didn't want to do interviews, especially with anyone who had ever criticised him. He couldn't bring himself to say good morning to people who passed him in the breakfast room or at the ground.

"If he wants a job, he had better not come looking for one at Yorkshire. We want to attract new members, families and sponsors, not drive them away with his sour face."

Broadcaster Henry Blofeld, also a Fletcher target, scathingly described the former coach as a "man of straw" in a newspaper article and said proceeds from the book amounted to "blood money".

Blofeld added: "I shall be surprised if he does not come to regret writing this book. He has let himself down badly and in my view is to be pitied rather than censured."

The book, Behind the Shades, published on Monday.