Walsall boss Darrell Clarke has today called on his players to get out the kitchen if they cannot stand the heat…..or go and stack shelves at Asda (there are other supermarkets out there).
The comments came following a question by a Radio WM journalist as to whether his criticism of the players in recent weeks has had a negative impact on the squad morale.
Speaking to Radio WM, Clarke said
“My players have got to do better. I’m not going to cuddle them, I ain’t a cuddling manager, we arent winning games.”
“They go on social media & read articles, the criticism is there so if they can’t handle the criticism out there or criticism from me, they shouldn’t be footballers. Go stack shelves in Asda”
“If they aren’t happy the doors there.
Soft players don’t win promotions”
His comments clearly show anger and frustration but as we stated yesterday what good can it do slating players in the local press with eleven games still to be played until the January window when he can do something about it?
Former Walsall boss Jon Whitney sparked fury just days before our game at Shrewsbury Town in 2018, describing stacking shelves at Asda as a crappy job and a low moment in his life.
It didn’t help his cause as he was fired just four days later, here’s hoping Clarke’s comments have a better response than Whitney’s did.
The Saddlers are back in action at the weekend as we face Clarke’s hometown club Mansfield, which sees the return of former Saddlers players Matt Preston, Mal Benning and Andy Cook.
