skybluebeduff
Well-Known Member
http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sp...teven-pressley-8460911#ICID=sharebar_facebook
Steven Pressley has dismissed suggestions of backroom dissent at Coventry City and leaped to the defence of centre-back Andy Webster.
In the wake of Monday night’s 3-0 home defeat against League One leaders Swindon, internet rumours claimed that Pressley had 'lost the dressing room' while Webster – who played alongside the manager for Hearts and Scotland – came in for some particularly vicious criticism.
“I’ve been briefed on it,” said Pressley, “and the one thing about me is that I never duck any questions.
“I’m a manager that accepts criticism on tactics, I accept criticism on team selection, I accept criticism on results because that is the nature of the industry. But the one thing that I don’t deal in is lies and that’s what I’d say on the blog or whatever it is you’re making reference to.
“Football’s a very emotional business and I understand fully that we can be very reactive to disappointments.
“There’s no doubt that wins crate a better atmosphere than defeats; it’s about how you come back from disappointment – that’s what separates players, that’s what separates most people within the sporting industry.
“In terms of Andy Webster, where that criticism has come from I don’t know but it’s certainly unjust because his performances over the past two or three months have been absolutely top-drawer.
“He has been exceptional – as I said a week ago, he’s been the rock that many of our performances have been built on.”
Webster himself brushed off the comments, saying: “If you have to take stick then so be it – there’s not much anyone else can do to influence anyone’s opinion. People are entitled to have their opinion, so it’s part of football and you need to deal with it.”
The defender, however, did respond to suggestions of a fractured team spirit, anticipating a likely response from some quarters by stressing: “I think people have a perception that I’m the gaffer’s mate but just because I’ve had the association with him in the past doesn’t mean anything – I’m a player, he’s the manager and that’s the fundamentals of the relationship.
“Team spirit is good and what always helps that spirit is winning football matches – that’s what we need to concentrate on and all this sort of stuff that goes with it is not important or our focus.
“There’s no point getting embroiled in anything else. When circumstances are difficult people always nit-pick and look for little things that might not even be there.
“If you’re sitting top of the league nobody bothers about anything going on but when results aren’t going well people start looking into things or at individuals or collectively, whatever, and start to find things that starts a bandwagon going which doesn’t help anybody.
“We’re all in it together and we all want to win football matches.”
That last paragraph has me almost at dribble point! :facepalm:
Steven Pressley has dismissed suggestions of backroom dissent at Coventry City and leaped to the defence of centre-back Andy Webster.
In the wake of Monday night’s 3-0 home defeat against League One leaders Swindon, internet rumours claimed that Pressley had 'lost the dressing room' while Webster – who played alongside the manager for Hearts and Scotland – came in for some particularly vicious criticism.
“I’ve been briefed on it,” said Pressley, “and the one thing about me is that I never duck any questions.
“I’m a manager that accepts criticism on tactics, I accept criticism on team selection, I accept criticism on results because that is the nature of the industry. But the one thing that I don’t deal in is lies and that’s what I’d say on the blog or whatever it is you’re making reference to.
“Football’s a very emotional business and I understand fully that we can be very reactive to disappointments.
“There’s no doubt that wins crate a better atmosphere than defeats; it’s about how you come back from disappointment – that’s what separates players, that’s what separates most people within the sporting industry.
“In terms of Andy Webster, where that criticism has come from I don’t know but it’s certainly unjust because his performances over the past two or three months have been absolutely top-drawer.
“He has been exceptional – as I said a week ago, he’s been the rock that many of our performances have been built on.”
Webster himself brushed off the comments, saying: “If you have to take stick then so be it – there’s not much anyone else can do to influence anyone’s opinion. People are entitled to have their opinion, so it’s part of football and you need to deal with it.”
The defender, however, did respond to suggestions of a fractured team spirit, anticipating a likely response from some quarters by stressing: “I think people have a perception that I’m the gaffer’s mate but just because I’ve had the association with him in the past doesn’t mean anything – I’m a player, he’s the manager and that’s the fundamentals of the relationship.
“Team spirit is good and what always helps that spirit is winning football matches – that’s what we need to concentrate on and all this sort of stuff that goes with it is not important or our focus.
“There’s no point getting embroiled in anything else. When circumstances are difficult people always nit-pick and look for little things that might not even be there.
“If you’re sitting top of the league nobody bothers about anything going on but when results aren’t going well people start looking into things or at individuals or collectively, whatever, and start to find things that starts a bandwagon going which doesn’t help anybody.
“We’re all in it together and we all want to win football matches.”
That last paragraph has me almost at dribble point! :facepalm:
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