‘Embarrassed’ Lyttle challenges players to show they care
SLIGO Rovers manager Gerard Lyttle admitted he was ‘embarrassed’ following his side’s sorry performance against First Division Longford Town in the first round of the FAI Cup on Saturday night at the City Calling Stadium.
Rovers went behind in the first-half when Karl Chambers netted past Micheal Schlingermann, but goals from Daniel Kearns and Benny Igiehon saw Rovers take the lead.
Sam Verdon made it 2-2 just seven minutes from time to force extra-time. Neale Fenn’s charges pushed on and goals from Peter Hopkins and Kealan Dillon rubbed salt into the wounds for the Bit O’Red on an embarrassing night.
A win against Longford would have been crucial to boost morale among both players and fans heading into a crucial league fixture against Bray Wanderers today (Tuesday), but the manner of the defeat will leave a sour taste for some time.
For Rovers, a full-time professional outfit to lose to a part-time First Division team, and Lyttle says he hopes his players are as embarrassed as he is.
“Let’s be honest, it’s embarrassing. As a manager I’m embarrassed by the result that came tonight. Obviously I hope the players are embarrassed too and I’m sure they are,” he said afterwards.
“We’ve come against a team below us in the league, and a parttime team, there’s something not right. As hard as it is, and I don’t want to be patronising to fans but I’ve got to keep positive and I’ve got to get a way to win games and keep this club up because its too big a club and too good a club, and there’s too many good people here to playing First Division football. We’ve had a few home truths again and we’ve talked an awful lot but the talking is running out, the talking is in the action and hopefully Tuesday we can turn it around,” he added.
Questions have been asked of the players’ commitment to the cause, and when asked if his players’ minds are in it, the former Cliftonville boss says anyone whose mind isn’t focused on the task at hand, will not be playing for the club.
“I can assure you if their mind’s not in it they won’t be playing for me. They won’t be playing for this club. That’s the bottom line. We’ll work out who it is, who’s not up for the fight and who is up for the fight. I don’t think that is the case, I’m hoping it’s not the case. There’s players there who are genuinely hurting. It’s disappointing. Our away performances all year have been disappointing. You’re hoping for that to change, you’re hoping for a win for confidence but that didn’t happen.”
Lyttle himself has been at a loss for words on several occasions this year as his side failed to win games. And now he feels the mindset of his team has got to be changed.
“It’s obviously a mindset within the team that we need to change. I keep trying to find out why it is the way it is. Obviously there’s a fear and tension there that they’re afraid of losing and I keep saying if we keep having that fear and mentality the only thing that’s going to happen is that you’re not going to win games, you’re going to lose games. Tuesday can’t come quick enough.”
His side’s lack of confidence is now a concern for Lyttle.
“We’ve said all the things before the game about being complacent. There’s a team here looking at a big scalp, show them respect and go out, we’ve asked them to do the things we’ve worked on in training. Some of us have done it and some of us didn’t.
“As a team we need to take a look at ourselves and we need to start being positive. We need to take the shackles off ourselves and be confident. I don’t see that confidence on the pitch. There’s a real lack of confidence. When you look at the league results and performances they haven’t been that bad. We’ve just been missing that second goal or that bit of luck. Hopefully we can concentrate (on the league), we wanted to be in the cup but it’s gone and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
With a huge game today against Bray Wanderers, Lyttle says his side must focus now on avoiding relegation and securing their Premier Division status. “Obviously we’re devastated that we’re out of the cup. We can’t dwell on it now. It’s done. We haven’t done enough to win the game, we’re pretty coasting I think and then the self destruct button in the box. It’s the same story all season, we’re talking about the same things all season, I don’t know how many times I’ve been talking to you about the same things over and over again. Nothing’s changing. It’s disappointing and it’s hurting but we’ve got to move on. Our focus now is clear, just keeping us up.”
He has challenged his players to go out and show that they care, and they want to be here.
“Let’s see what we’re about on Tuesday. This is where I can see who cares, who’s going to give me a reaction. If you’re hurting tonight, take it out on Bray on Tuesday and show us that you really care, that you really want it. We’re at home and we have a good record at home so hopefully we get a reaction. At the end of the season if you give me the option to stay up or go on a run in the cup I’d stay up. We’re hurt and we’ve let a lot of people down, especially supporters who paid their money to come watch it. Hopefully they can come support us Tuesday.”
He is hoping that this is the proverbial kick up the backside that his players might need.
“They’ve had kicks up the backside all year. It’s hard, not easy. There’s still a lack of confidence in the group, there’s a lot of nerves. As a manager and as coaching staff, you can coach all you want and work on formations and shape and the boys working their backsides off and it’s on the pitch where it matters.”
And despite all this, Lyttle is adamant that he is not concerned about his side’s chances of avoiding relegation: “I’m not concerned. I think we’ll get a reaction on Tuesday. We’re hurt, I’m really hurt. I’m hurting for the fans. It’s hard standing as a manager and fans, and rightly so, there was a bit of stick and we deserve it. I deserve it, I’m part of the set-up. We have to be big boys and take it on the chin. We have to go and show the fans that we really care, that we want to fight, that we want to stay up and win games.”