Newell says Hibs players must take the blame
HIBS midfielder Joe Newell has insisted that the Easter Road players let Jack Ross down following the manager’s sacking from the Leith club yesterday morning.
Wednesday’s defeat to Livingston – and the manner of the defeat – was the final straw after a catalogue of poor performances this term. Hibs are just eight points ahead of bottom of the table Ross County, who have a game in hand, while they have one solitary win from their last nine league games.
The defeat to David Martindale’s side was their 10th successive game without a clean sheet. Newell, though, has insisted that the players were responsible for the poor performances.
“We just went under and it is nowhere near acceptable and nowhere near the standards we have set or where we want to be,” said Newell.
“I have been in changing rooms where you’re on a bad run and the lads are kind of whispering to each other, saying ‘you know what, it wouldn’t be a bad thing if the gaffer went now’ but there was not one player in there who wanted this manager to leave or who wants the coaches to leave.
“It is completely on us as players. The coaches and the gaffer can’t call a time-out halfway through the first half and get everyone in and regroup just because we have conceded a goal.
“It is on us as men and professional footballers to get a grip of ourselves and we didn’t do that, we just completely went. Composure went, discipline went, and I’m not just talking about the red cards late on, I’m talking about general play, I’m talking about all of us, whether it be silly fouls, giving the ball away, it was just a bad, bad night.
“I can’t reiterate enough how much the players take responsibility for that.”