Chris Hutchings questions his players
Tuesday 26th October 2010, 10:45AM BST.
Defiant boss Chris Hutchings has questioned his players’ commitment to Walsall’s relegation fight – as the Saddlers board remained tight-lipped over his future.
The manager is on the brink after a catastrophic start to the season left the team joint bottom of League One, following Saturday’s disastrous 4-1 defeat at home to Tranmere.
Fans have called for him to be axed and the club haven’t commented on the under-fire boss – who has insisted he will not quit.
Now Hutchings has rounded on his players and warned they will pay the price if they don’t have the stomach for a scrap.
He said: “Managers are always under pressure and I can assure the fans that, as coaching staff, we are hurting deeply and the moment, but what about the players?
“We had a meeting yesterday and a few things were said. I told the players to take a good look in the mirror and be totally honest with themselves and ask ‘can they give any more?’
“This is a ruthless business and if the players aren’t doing their jobs they won’t stay in the team.
“If they don’t want to work hard they will be sitting in the stand. We know we’ve got good players but we need to show attitude first and foremost.
“We’ve got to be men and stand up and be counted.”
The Saddlers have won just once in their last 11 games and only three times all season to remain rooted in the relegation zone.
The board have yet to comment on his future despite growing supporter unrest, which saw calls for his head at the weekend.
Hutchings has been in charge since January 2009 and has won 28 of his 87 games, losing 36 and drawing 23.
A trip to promotion-chasing Huddersfield is up next on Saturday, the start of a run which sees them face five of the top eight teams.
Peterborough then visit the Banks’s Stadium on Tuesday before a tricky FA Cup tie at Fleetwood on November 6.
UK Sport
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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I couldn’t tell on Saturday if they were lacking commitment or direction. There was no movement in the team and any possession we had tended to be in our own half or around the half way line. I’m not sure why he took Reid and Macken off either; some very odd subs decisions. 4-1 flattered Tranmere a bit although on this (ongoing) form we’ll be going down for sure. The question is, if he goes who do we get in?
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esy,,,chris just resign,,,simplesssss
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Are these the same players that you brought to the club Chris?? Are these the same players that you felt were capable of achieveing a top 6 spot??
You put this team together, you fail to get them motivated and organised. The failure is down to you!!
Look at the dross you have brought in Brain, Lancashire, Lescott, Marshall and Gray are five players that have given very little this season and a reason we are in the mire.
Just do the honourable thing and resign while we can stay in touch with the teams around us, because looking at our next few games we havent got a chance.
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face it chris, you’ve lost the dressing room and this isn’t going to help you get it back.
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face it chris, you’ve lost the dressing room – they don’t want to play for you anymore.
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Send them all back to their parent clubs Chris!Then see what ur left with.
You signed them, you coach them, you are responsible.
Please leave and let someone else have a go.
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“if the players aren’t doing their jobs they won’t stay in the team.”
OK Chris: It’s taken till now for you to realise that Julian Gray’s only here for the ride. How long before others are dropped? But if you drop all the others who are performing below their best, who is going to play in their place. Let’s face it. You couldn’t motivate George Best to have a drink nor Alex Higgins to light a cigarette. Time to say goodbye. If you are still her next Tuesday, that’s another 2 empty seats.
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Just go will you……
Your a laughing stock, you have made the team a laughing stock. Even you must have enough brains to know where the doors is.
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I am fed up with him blaming the players. You bought them to the club Hutchings, so if they’re not good enough it’s YOU to blame.
I am fed up with him promising we will look at where we went wrong and put it righ in the next match.
I am fed up of him blaming bad luck.
I am fed up of his total lack of any tactical nouse.
I am fed up of substitutions that add NOTHING to the team.
I am fed up of a club that just doesn’t care about the situation. Instead of firing him they even let him comment on the upcoming FA Cup match (I dread to think of the fallout if we lose that one).
You’re the only one to blame for performances and results Hutchings. The club are the only ones to blame for keeping him in a job.
I WILL NOT pay for another ticket while Hutchings is in charge.
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Trouble is if they use CH’s mirror its one of the funny (haha) ones you get at the fairground. It gives you a different view to everyone else….
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Truth is the players we have are decent, good enough for a mid-table finish with some proper organisation and direction. Trouble is they aren’t getting it.
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The person who needs to look in the mirror is you chris!!! are you doing your job properly?Think we all know the answer to that,the table doesn’t lie.
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BUT we are a club REBORN !!! dont forget that, whats up with you all ?
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We need a target man, EVERYTHING that goes forward comes straight back, Macken can sort of hold the ball up, but he’s hardly a man mountain to win the headers and flick ons.
I’m not saying I want us to be a hoof ball team, but you need to have the option of hoofing it now and then. let the team catch up with the front man, and build a successful attack. there is never anyone in the box because the strikers are having to work the ball to the corners themselves waiting for the rest of the team to catch up.
Lescott and Brain have been woeful this season, and McGovern, although I like the guy, has been the player unable to mark his man on numerous set peices which have led to us conceeding.
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