Jim’s frustrated by ‘averageness’
COUNTY boss Jim Gannon blasted his side as “very average” following The Hatters’ disappointing stalemate with in-form Bradford Park Avenue at Edgeley Park on Saturday.
Gannon was left exasperated following the 0-0 draw with Mark Bower’s Yorkshire side, admitting he was “extremely frustrated” with what the County chief described as the ‘inability’ of his players to carry out their instructions.
He also hit out at “five years of part time averageness” at the club – with calls for a return to the club’s former full-time status growing among the Edgeley Park fanbase.
County enjoyed plenty of possession in the tie, but again endured a familiar tale of very little end product as The Hatters made it two without a win in the National League North – with Gannon left to lament the “lack of quality” on show.
“We have to look at ourselves and at our own players who are causing us problems – if I have to get out of the dugout and say the same things over and over, then those players shouldn’t be playing,” said Gannon. “We’ve got a back four which is making errors so we need to tidy up on that, a midfield which needs to play its position and link the play better so that the ball’s not going back to front, but our key marquee signings need to find the quality that we’ve invested in.
“We’ve got options, and we’ll have to freshen up – and it’s not so much that people don’t deserve to start, but we need energy and need to be getting on the front foot.
“From our point of view, we’ve invested in what we’ve got, but I’m frustrated – as the fans are – at the last five years of part-time averageness.
“It’s frustrating. But we seem to be having the same half-time and fulltime team talks, asking for the same qualities to be shown and unfortunately they’re not being delivered, and then we get that kind of performance.
“We worked in the week again on crossing and set plays, but we’re chipping crosses into the ‘keeper’s hands, the crossing was delayed, or played in the air. We go back to the Harrogate game where we got a result by crossing low and early – for some reason, Connor Hampson is crossing into the air, Sam Minihan is getting into positions and not delivering early enough. If we don’t deliver with quality and pace, Jason (Oswell) won’t score – and he’ll have a frustrating afternoon, and we will as a team.”
Despite widespread frustration at the dour stalemate, Avenue could count themselves unfortunate not to have taken all three points. And Gannon, who added that his players “need to take a look at themselves”, admitted that his side’s failure to carry out their training ground routines on the pitch, was a ‘consequence’ of the level the club find themselves at.
“There’s some edgy defending, people giving the ball away for fun. We speak about playing swiftly across the pitch, lumping the ball long to Jason – and then Bradford pick it up and break.
“They were set up to play on the counter attack, they were solid and that caused us problems, but their best chances came from us having possession.
“It’s part of being at this level, that you have very average players but you have to retrain them on simple things, as all they’re used to doing is banging it long or throwing it long – and if they can’t be retrained then we are going to have those problems week in, week out.”
The 48-year-old’s frustration appeared to boil over, with the Irishman involved in an ugly second half spat with former Hatter Danny Boshell – now the assistant coach at Avenue, when Boshell held onto the ball to prevent County taking a quick set-piece in search of a late winner.
Boshell played under Gannon during the County boss’ first tenure at Edgeley Park before being released – and whilst Gannon admitted the scuffle was a storm in a teacup, he did add that he’d hoped to “see the same kind of passion” from his players.
“I’ve gone to retrieve the ball; he’s taken it away and tried to hide it. All it did was maybe spark the referee into life, as he seemed to be fine with the time-wasting prior to that. But we are going to get that, because teams will come here and try to kill time,” Gannon explained.
“I just wish maybe some of my players would have shown some passion in trying to get on the ball, trying to make things happen and perhaps we’d have found the energy and adrenaline to win the game.”
County were due to host Southport at Edgeley Park on Tuesday night as The Express went to print, with Gannon still mulling over some changes in personnel following the Bradford stalemate.