Walsall's Interim Head Coach Jon Whitney spoke to the local press ahead of Thursday evening's Sky Bet League 1 Play-Offs Semi-Final Second Leg clash with Barnsley, and has admitted that he and much of his squad are playing for their livelihoods.
Speaking via the Express & Star, Jon said; “We are playing for our livelihoods – we are playing for my livelihood. I want honesty from my players and I want to see if they believe in me.
“Forget about me believing in them, come and show me you believe in me. This is it now, one-game season. Let’s stand up and be counted. We have done it in the past. We have been unplayable at times this season. Now we need to go out and get the goals that will get us back into it.
“Sometimes it’s about keeping your shape, winning second balls and being a little bit ugly. That is what we are trying to develop.
“We have to not beat ourselves up if we aren’t playing our fast, free-flowing football. I thought Ashley Fletcher and Sam Winnall caused too many problems and, too many times, they were unchallenged. We can’t have that. The decision making needs to be better. We have leaders on the pitch, but we need to have talkers on the pitch.
“It can’t just come from the sideline, it can’t just come from me and my coaches. I want my players to come back fighting.”
“Forget about me believing in them, come and show me you believe in me. This is it now, one-game season. Let’s stand up and be counted. We have done it in the past. We have been unplayable at times this season. Now we need to go out and get the goals that will get us back into it.
“Sometimes it’s about keeping your shape, winning second balls and being a little bit ugly. That is what we are trying to develop.
“We have to not beat ourselves up if we aren’t playing our fast, free-flowing football. I thought Ashley Fletcher and Sam Winnall caused too many problems and, too many times, they were unchallenged. We can’t have that. The decision making needs to be better. We have leaders on the pitch, but we need to have talkers on the pitch.
“It can’t just come from the sideline, it can’t just come from me and my coaches. I want my players to come back fighting.”
SOURCE | EXPRESS & STAR