Shaw backing Hussey to recapture his form
RICHARD Shaw is backing Chris Hussey to come through his latest wobble and prove the boo boys wrong.
The Coventry City left-back came in for criticism during Tuesday night's disappointing performance in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy against Burton Albion when he was booed just before the break.
“He gave the ball away a couple of times on Tuesday and his head went a wee bit,“ admitted the caretaker boss. “It's never nice when you get booed and I don't like that, especially when it's you own crowd.
“It's something that, to be honest, we could do without.
“I know Chris could certainly do without it but he's a good enough player to come through it.
“I had a good chat with him after the game as I did at half-time when I told him that I wasn't going to take him off. I told him he had to battle through it because he's good enough to pass the ball properly.
“I've told him to keep his head right because he's a good defender.
“His one-on-ones against Cleveland Taylor were good and he didn't let him get through on the outside.
“His defending has got better but maybe he's neglecting the football side of his game but he'll be fine and come through this.
“I know what Chris can and can't do and I have spent a lot of time with the lad in terms of defending.
I think Chris was getting forward a lot and neglecting the defending.
For me, you defend first and then anything else going forward is a bonus.
“With Chris we have told him to be positive, don't pass back, pass forward and we've tried to instil that in him. But we need everyone to get behind us at the moment, we don't need our supporters booing our players.“
Although now 23, Hussey made a big jump when he joined the Sky Blues from non-league AFC Wimbledon and Shaw said he hasn't had the ideal environment in which to develop.
“He's learning his trade in a side that has been struggling, which has not made it easy,“ he said. “I learnt my trade with the likes of John Salako and Gareth Southgate at Palace in a team that was doing well and it makes it easier because everyone is on the up.
“But he's been doing it in the bottom half of the Championship in a team that got relegated last year, so it's been difficult. But Chris will get there. He's got all the attributes to be a good player. I believe in him and we believe in him here. “He just had a game on Tuesday when his ball retention wasn't what it could be, and Chris knows that. He recognised it himself and held his hands up. The last thing I need is a player saying, `it's not my fault' and as long as he recognises where he needs to improve and works hard to put it right then I'll have that all day long.“
RICHARD Shaw is backing Chris Hussey to come through his latest wobble and prove the boo boys wrong.
The Coventry City left-back came in for criticism during Tuesday night's disappointing performance in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy against Burton Albion when he was booed just before the break.
“He gave the ball away a couple of times on Tuesday and his head went a wee bit,“ admitted the caretaker boss. “It's never nice when you get booed and I don't like that, especially when it's you own crowd.
“It's something that, to be honest, we could do without.
“I know Chris could certainly do without it but he's a good enough player to come through it.
“I had a good chat with him after the game as I did at half-time when I told him that I wasn't going to take him off. I told him he had to battle through it because he's good enough to pass the ball properly.
“I've told him to keep his head right because he's a good defender.
“His one-on-ones against Cleveland Taylor were good and he didn't let him get through on the outside.
“His defending has got better but maybe he's neglecting the football side of his game but he'll be fine and come through this.
“I know what Chris can and can't do and I have spent a lot of time with the lad in terms of defending.
I think Chris was getting forward a lot and neglecting the defending.
For me, you defend first and then anything else going forward is a bonus.
“With Chris we have told him to be positive, don't pass back, pass forward and we've tried to instil that in him. But we need everyone to get behind us at the moment, we don't need our supporters booing our players.“
Although now 23, Hussey made a big jump when he joined the Sky Blues from non-league AFC Wimbledon and Shaw said he hasn't had the ideal environment in which to develop.
“He's learning his trade in a side that has been struggling, which has not made it easy,“ he said. “I learnt my trade with the likes of John Salako and Gareth Southgate at Palace in a team that was doing well and it makes it easier because everyone is on the up.
“But he's been doing it in the bottom half of the Championship in a team that got relegated last year, so it's been difficult. But Chris will get there. He's got all the attributes to be a good player. I believe in him and we believe in him here. “He just had a game on Tuesday when his ball retention wasn't what it could be, and Chris knows that. He recognised it himself and held his hands up. The last thing I need is a player saying, `it's not my fault' and as long as he recognises where he needs to improve and works hard to put it right then I'll have that all day long.“
