Holding has criticised the current touring party, accusing the squad of not focusing on cricket and on representing the West Indies.

Holding said the attitude problem would lead to the Caribbean tourists being demolished in all their three Tests against Australia.

The West Indies have not won a Test in Australia since February 1997.

"I'm concerned about their general focus. They aren't focused on their game enough, they aren't focused on representing the Windies enough," said Holding, who claimed 249 wickets in 60 Tests.

Holding, here as a television commentator on the series, pointed to the disciplining of paceman Tino Best last week over a training incident as an example of the lax attitude within the squad.

But King Monday stood up for his players and questioned Holding's knowledge of the contemporary Windies squad.

"He's not privy to the group now I don't think," King told a lunch. "The group actually works really hard and I think publicly they're getting more acceptance.