Hutchings’ warning for sorry Saddlers
Monday 29th March 2010, 11:55AM BST.
Walsall manager Chris Hutchings has warned his under-performing players they must up their game after they handed another club a survival lifeline.
The Saddlers went down 2-1 at relegation threatened Exeter on Saturday despite Julian Gray’s first goal for the club, just days after the 3-0 defeat at struggling Southend.
After a third defeat in four games left them 14th in League One, boss Hutchings agreed the players need to start performing.
He said: “They are doing OK but OK isn’t good enough, it’s as simple as that. We work hard but when you want that bit of quality it’s lacking sometimes.
“In terms of clubs and where we are we’re probably just above those in the same position. But we want to kick on. I’m sure Southend would swap places and I’m sure Exeter would do too.
“We’ve done OK but we’ve got to make sure we get a few more points. It’s been disappointing in the last two games.”
Matt Taylor and Ryan Harley’s penalty handed the struggling Grecians a precious win to leave Hutchings frustrated.
The manager said: “It’s the result which counts and if you play badly and win it papers over the cracks. We’ve got to work hard on the training ground.
“It doesn’t matter where you are in the table, you’re always fighting to get the next three points.”
The Saddlers were the better side for much of the second-half, but went 2-0 down after Jamie Vincent tangled with Barry Corr to concede a 57th minute penalty.
It seemed to happen outside the box and Hutchings felt the award was harsh.
He said: “I thought it was a very dubious decision. It’s gone against us but you can’t tackle like that and hold people in the box.
“I didn’t get a good view, the ball went down the right side, I looked up to see the strikers and all of a sudden it was a penalty. One or two of our players and staff were saying it was outside and sometimes that’s what goes against you.
“It does go a little bit like that but you can’t blame the referee, players have got to perform better than what they have been.”
Latest Blog — A week is a long time in football
This time last week we were staring down the barrel, third from bottom with a worse record than at the same stage last year, writes Saddlers blogger Mark Jones.
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Yawn
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Is chris’s new job going to be a stand up as everything this bloke says is a joke.
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what a joke . we are doing ok.no better then mullen
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I think Chris is texting his agent in the pic……….”Bl***y Hell..get me out of this !!”
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You warned the players over their performances did you?
Has anyone warned you over yours?
Goodbye Hutchout.
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Is this guy a skipping disc?? He says the same thing every week, and if he can’t change it then he should do us all a favour and hand in his resignation.
I can’t believe the fans at the matches haven’t got on his back, me personally, I’m sick of the excuses, lack of tactical decisions, and his idea that we are all happy waiting for them to ‘get better’. It just doesn’t wash CH, I have my season ticket for next year, I hope you haven’t.
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Don’t make any plans for next season CH.
To be simplistic about it CH you are total useless…
YOU HAVE GOT TO GO.
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Can all these managers be bad ??, sorry , you have to look above them for the problem, you cant make a team with what bonsor and his silent sidekicks give them !!!!
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I see your point Chrispy, but when we in the Championship for 3 seasons is wasn’t down to investment, it was down to a purely good manager who could motivate his half decent players to win and give all they got in every game, if we first get that right we can see where to go from there..
Also look at clubs like Luton, Portsmouth, West Ham, Chester..all spent money they haven’t got in some way or another. Yes Pompey and the hammers have the infrastructure to recover, but Luton and Chester didn’t, and look at them.
P.S Dicky if you don’t like Luton we will more than happily have you back : )
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Yes and bring his team with hime surely better than half this lot??
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It’s been a desperate season and I for one will be glad when it’s over. Should Hutch go? Perhaps, but could anyone do better with the restrictions they’d be working under?
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The seasonal Mery-Go-Round continues!
Whether CH goes or not, the squad will have another summer clearout and we will start again with a whole new team, having to get used to each other and all the excuses that that will bring……..we will start next season with poor form, improve a little for a period of 8-10 games, then things will start to go wrong……….copy to last season, the seaso before and next season.
The only surprise this year was that we didn’t sell Manny Smith, but then clubs are being more careful on buying in youngsters at the moment……..
Struggling to be positive at the moment, I need the Saddlers to win on Saturday. UTS!
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