WATCH: Walsall team for League One play-off second leg decided at training today

Boss Jon Whitney says all places are up for grabs in his team as Walsall prepare for their crunch play-off clash with Barnsley.

The Saddlers' promotion hopes were dealt a devastating blow on Saturday after they fell to a 3-0 defeat against Paul Heckingbottom's side in the first leg of their League One play-off semi-final.

Despite enjoying an otherwise successful season, the nature of the defeat at Oakwell upset Whitney and supporters.

Now though the Saddlers have the chance to put it right as they prepare for the home leg at the Banks's Stadium on Thursday.

But if his players want to play in that game, Whitney has warned they must impress him in training sessions taking place today and tomorrow.

"There are things going to be set up today and it will be 'this is it now, you stand up and be counted.' No hiding," he said.

"You've got to approach today as if it's Barnsley on Thursday. If you're going to pull out of tackles today, you are going to pull out of them on Thursday.

"If you're not closing people down today, you're not going to close people down on Thursday.

"If you want to play in my team on Thursday and give yourself some pride back and finish your season on a high, you've got to do it today because you won't get another chance.

"It is a really important day for me and my coaches. I want to see players motivating their teammates because what an opportunity this is that we've got."

Whitney has got the verbal response he wanted from his players, praising them for the way they accepted his criticism in a team meeting on Sunday, 24 hours after the 3-0 defeat at Oakwell.

But now he wants to see those words put into action.

The interim boss added: "It was a really honest meeting. None of it was personal, it was constructive criticism.

"I didn't talk them through the clips. I let them talk themselves through the clips. We put the goals on and I let them coach themselves.

"They needed a bit of encouragement sometimes but they were very honest, they knew it wasn't good enough.

"They need to show that they can handle the pressure now. The players have all told me face to face that they are ready for the challenge.

"But it's just words and I take it with a big pinch of salt because they need to show me today, they need to show me they are going to back it up with a bit of action."