Clayton McDonald's Walsall message
Walsall defender Clayton McDonald has hammered home a message to the struggling Saddlers and urged his team-mates to 'get ugly.'
Walsall defender Clayton McDonald has hammered home a message to the struggling Saddlers and urged his team-mates to 'get ugly.'
The team have plummeted down League One to lie 18th after seven defeats from their nine games in all competitions.
They are yet to keep a clean sheet this season and have lost five straight games after the weekend's 2-1 defeat to Swindon.
Walsall go to Hartlepool on Saturday aiming to avoid dropping into the relegation zone for the first time in manager Chris Hutchings' 21-month tenure.
And McDonald admitted it is time to adopt a win at all costs policy.
He said: "You don't mind how you win, there are times when it's ugly but as long as you win everyone is happy.
"We would prefer to play football but there are times and places when you just can't do that.
"In every game in League One you have to earn the right to play before you get a chance to make your mark. You have to win your one-on-one battles and the team has to press. Teams don't stand off you and let you have the ball.
"That's why games look scruffy, you haven't got time to play because you get pressed all over."
The 21-year-old started the season on the bench after Oliver Lancashire partnered Manny Smith.
But McDonald regained his place for the defeat against Colchester and wants to prove himself to Hutchings after being left out.
He said: "Clayton had a little chat with me, what he said was that he wanted to go with the other two.
"I might not have liked it but I thought 'OK, I'm not going to argue with you because you're the boss.'
"I thought I would get on with what I was doing and eventually get my chance. It's frustrating for any player to be sat on the bench because you want to play every game.
"It doesn't matter where. It was frustrating but I was working hard on the training field doing my extra stuff and eventually got back in the team, hopefully I'll stay in.
"I'm a very hungry person, I want to be successful in the game, so it gives you an extra incentive to get back in the team."
