Do the players give a damn? this is the question asked by Ahmed,

Well being the assistant manager of the afore mentioned club and you being a dear friend, may I try to answer that question.

I think they do.

However they seem to have a different understanding of giving a damn than of the management/coaching staff.

I think once they are away from the club surroundings they forget about the disaster until it is brought to their attention again at the next training session, that’s if if they bother to turn up.

So am I actually kidding myself when I say I think they do.

Graham also in the article you stated

“The problem is that not only am I watching the game hoping that the players do what they have been told and coached to do, not only am I watching the game hoping that we win, I am also kicking and heading every ball, making every tackle and hitting every shot. I expect my players to have the ability of the top professionals and get so frustrated when they haven’t. If I actually could still play I wouldn’t be any better than the players we’ve got so I don’t know why I boother kidding myself that I would be”

We do not expect them to be top professionals, but we do expect better than they produced in that game, after all the time and effort the coaching staff had put in to hopefully make them a little better than what they were.

Also where we lack in the ability stakes we certainly make up for it in enthusiasm.

Your friend always,

Tony.

I agree that the managers care just as much, but like you’ve said so many times they’re not 100% responsible for the results because the players could just as well go cock it up on the pitch.

Any of your players seen crying after a game?