HOW MANY people do you think were in Sussex's team huddle before the game against Gloucestershire at Arundel on Sunday?

I was so shocked by the size of it that I made a point of counting and the answer is 23 – yes 23!

Now I'm no caveman and know that sports scientist, analysts, fitness coaches and physios are all important members of a modern sports team.

They all do a valuable job but their role is to help prepare the players in the build up to a game – not getting in the way and muddying the waters an hour or so before one.

In my personal opinion you want to strip things right down so close to the start of a match. You want the 11 players there, perhaps the 12th man and the head coach and his assistant in that huddle but no more.

The more people who are hanging around can only add to the tension before a big game as individuals feed off the nerves of others.

There are also too many voices when the only people you should really being hearing is that of head coach Mark Davis and captain Luke Wright. Any extra opinions on top of those just confuse matters and can lead to uncertainty.

You also want players to take responsibility for their own preparation and performance. These days there are so many people there to help players that they hardly have to do anything for themselves until they get out in the middle – and then we wonder why they find it difficult to deliver.