Players must meet their responsibilities
19/11/04 | by Daniel Hawkins

The chairman and manager have come under some serious criticism from the fans for not bringing in new signings and not helping the club when it’s most needed. Some say that maybe the Trent End bond saga could have caused this, some are blaming the chairman for lack of ambition, some are blaming the manager for wrong team selections or poor motivation. In my last article I brought up the coaching issue within the club, and applauded the appointment of Mick Harford as assistant manager, a positive move that will only benefit the club in time. Here I do not wish to bleat on about the chairman or the manager – I think we have already gone into that in great detail and we all have our own conclusions – my concern is now with the players at the club.

It’s time for them to deliver performances on the pitch. It is their responsibility to produce, and I think they are taking their responsibilities lightly. Performances from the defence have been shambolic. Only Wes Morgan and Paul Gerrard deserve any sort of praise, but they have carried the defence for long enough. Midfield is no better – Reid is clearly not showing the sort of passion he was last season, Evans is still fighting for the cause, but no-one around him seems to want to help out. As for up front, King has found a good touch of late and is working hard, but Johnson and Taylor are clearly not trying hard enough.

We bang on about the manager and how the club is run – surely it's time to get on the players backs and give them a right royal kick up the arse. No passion, no commitment, no team spirit – nothing! It's no wonder we have only won two league games this season. Some of it may be down to the manager, however sole responsibility of team performance is down to the players. Now is the time for them to worry about their performances, rather than their wage cheques. 

I would like to see the chairman and manager introduce a fining scheme for players who are not putting in the performances or effort. Some of them may be broke by the end of the month, but it may make them take notice. This is a team sport and the players that are not performing are bringing this club down on its knees. If they had differences with how the club is run then that is fine, but they should leave that aside when they go out on the pitch because they are not only harming their chances, they are harming the people who pay their wages.

They showed against Fulham that they could play, so let's see a response now in the league, where it matters. This includes the likes of Johnson, Reid, Taylor, Dawson, and Rogers, to name a few who are the most senior player of the squad and should be setting an example. Start pulling your weight and get this club moving – it's up to you and only you.