Criticising the players through the media- is it on?

[Guest San Don]

The manager renewed his criticism of players through the media in the wake of the oldham defeat. This after he said in another article the club doesnt 'hang anyone out to dry.' Oh really, perhaps he should take a look at the Suarez / piece of shit incident

 

In this article in the torygraph, he clearly identifies and singles out two players in particular in all but name ie Skrtel and Coates.

 

Some may say a general criticism is one thing, clearly identify two individuals is another.

 

Is this the right way to go about things? To me it smacks of shifting the blame on one entity and one entity alone. Personally, Im uneasy about this sort of stuff. Im not happy when rodgers does it. And before anyone points out the King and Sir Bob did it, I wasnt happy at them doing it either.

 

If you're going to criticise your players, do it in private behind closed doors and keep it there. That's the Liverpool way isnt it?

[moof]

I'm not opposed to it. If it keeps the squad on edge and not resting on their laurels then, fine.

 

Skrtel, in particular, needs to pull his head out of his arse so maybe this will wake him up a bit.

 

We don't know what the mentality is like, perhaps some of the young players feel they've already made it, I think that's why the manager was pointing to Gerrard and Carragher as examples of players who have the right mentality and work just as hard against teams like Oldham as they would Man U.

[RedinSweden]

Surely if Kenny Dalglish and Bob Paisley do something, it then becomes the Liverpool way?

[Archimede]

I think its about time they were criticised.

 

that team should have walloped Oldham. It dis Houllier no harm to 'make scapegoats' and clear the decks, before bringing in his own players.

[Randy Marsh]

Calculated comments aimed at challenging a player to improve their performances. He has said far worse about Downing, Henderson and Enrique this season and just look at the change in their form and application since.

 

His recent comments are spot on. These are highly paid athletes and it we want to drag this club back up the table then our standards and performance levels need to increase. We need men, and if they go to shit because they've been criticised and challenged publicly then they're not the type of men we need at this club. We need battlers and winners. He is challenging them, and he wouldn't do it without believing he can get a response. Man management isn't all about an arm around the shoulder. He isn't a manager ranting to the press, he has made a judgement call here and I for one back him all the way if he feels that certain players are letting the club down. If anyone can't handle that then show them the door.

[Randy Marsh]

I also remember him making comments on the younger players attitudes in Being Liverpool, so maybe this is a problem which runs far deeper than we can see on the surface.

[Lee909]

If he has said things to then in private then surely the next step is to go public.

[RobbieOR]

Surely if Kenny Dalglish and Bob Paisley do something, it then becomes the Liverpool way?

 

The King was praised by most for doing it last year after Bolton.

[dave u]

Everything he has said is 100% correct, the quotes in the Echo today are brilliant.

 

As for whether he should be saying it publicly, well if he praises them publicly - as he has done regularly - then he can criticise too when it's justified. And being humiliated like that by a struggling League One side is as good a time as any to do it.

[Bobby Hundreds]

Yeah it is. As a fan when I see players waltzing about like just turning up is enough I want to see that they're being reprimanded. Ability isn't enough. Without a work ethic ability is nothing.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Everything he has said is 100% correct, the quotes in the Echo today are brilliant.

 

At the end of the day, if players aren't willing to fight for victory, there's no point in having them around. The reason Suarez scores and creates so many is because of his desire to win. He doesn't always play well, but the effort and will to win is incredible. Same with Gerrard.

 

When I saw Robinson tell Suarez to 'fuck off', I just couldn't believe it.

[BCM]

Cant help but feel Skrtel will be the next one shoved out the door.

[Ranxerox]

I also remember him making comments on the younger players attitudes in Being Liverpool, so maybe this is a problem which runs far deeper than we can see on the surface.

 

I don't like it as a rule, but as highlighted above perhaps he is doing it as a "last resort" type of action. Skrtel in particular has had a few bad performances this year and maybe earlier bollocking has been private.

 

On the other hand Rodgers himself has made errors and I don't recall him ever owning up publicly himself.

[Randy Marsh]

I don't like it as a rule, but as highlighted above perhaps he is doing it as a "last resort" type of action. Skrtel in particular has had a few bad performances this year and maybe earlier bollocking has been private.

 

On the other hand Rodgers himself has made errors and I don't recall him ever owning up publicly himself.

 

In one of the fanzine / website interviews I'm certain he commented on the mistakes he has made up to now.

[Ranxerox]

In one of the fanzine / website interviews I'm certain he commented on the mistakes he has made up to now.

 

fair play to him then, it gives him more credibility to say what he has the last couple of days. Sounds to me like there may be more than a few prima donnas in the team.

[Major Tom]

Everything he has said is 100% correct, the quotes in the Echo today are brilliant.

 

As for whether he should be saying it publicly, well if he praises them publicly - as he has done regularly - then he can criticise too when it's justified. And being humiliated like that by a struggling League One side is as good a time as any to do it.

 

We'll keep this guy on.

[Faustus]

Rodgers is spot on here, in my opinion.

 

If Skrtel or Coates feel slighted by the manager's comments, then they should be looking at doing something about it. Skrtel has been off the boil for a while now, so maybe it's the kick up the arse he needs.

 

As I said in another thread, it seems the manager can't win with some people. If he tells them to keep their chin up after a defeat and says they were unlucky or whatever, people accuse him of blowing smoke up their arses and being blind to the problems. Give them a bollocking and people say stuff like that should be kept in house. Seeing as Rodgers is obliged to give interviews, what the fuck do people want him to say?

 

As an aside, I think far too many people read too much into what is said in the press. When Rodgers said Suarez will be 'dealt with internally', people on here were up in arms, when I would be very surprised if that amounted to anything more than Rodgers pulling Suarez to one side and saying 'I really don't give a shit what you do on the pitch as long as you win games for the team, but you've put me in an awkward position by admitting you dived so watch what what you say in future and I'll just say we're dealing with it in house but really we're going to do fuck all.'

 

Things like this are just on of the reasons why modern football is so fucking shite. Every single comment, every single sentence is scrutinised to high heaven and people can't wait to react. Frankly, as long as it's nothing as embarrassing as Hodgson's 'I hope Sir Alex forgives me for taking this job' line, I really couldn't care. Must of what managers say these days is just rehearsed bollocks and it's not stuff I can be arsed going into detail with.

 

I really don't think Martin Skrtel is too much of a wallflower to be miffed with a poor performance called into question. I doubt it's the first time it's happened in his career and I doubt it's the last. If his reaction is to mope and sulk rather than buck up and get on with things in a professional manner, you have to question the lad's head. As I said, I can't see him being so sensitive that he's curled up in a ball crying somewhere in Melwood.

 

If you're upset by your manager criticising you, then you're probably not cut out to be a footballer, to be honest. And that's not aimed at Skrtel, by the way. It's just a general statement.

[Dr Nowt]

Several of them are drinking in the last chance saloon from what he said and the coldness of his expression while doing so. Personally, if certain players don't get the message quickly I'd be all for them leaving, as the third option is we inevitably keep seeing the same weak performances.

 

So really it's about whether the individual would rather him use every tool at his disposal to motivate them, minimising or delaying where possible already high rebuilding costs, or just accept some aren't good enough earlier and move them on when money to buy quality reinforcements across multiple positions is tight.

[Dr Nowt]

Rodgers is spot on here, in my opinion.

 

If Skrtel or Coates feel slighted by the manager's comments, then they should be looking at doing something about it. Skrtel has been off the boil for a while now, so maybe it's the kick up the arse he needs.

 

As I said in another thread, it seems the manager can't win with some people. If he tells them to keep their chin up after a defeat and says they were unlucky or whatever, people accuse him of blowing smoke up their arses and being blind to the problems. Give them a bollocking and people say stuff like that should be kept in house. Seeing as Rodgers is obliged to give interviews, what the fuck do people want him to say?

 

As an aside, I think far too many people read too much into what is said in the press. When Rodgers said Suarez will be 'dealt with internally', people on here were up in arms, when I would be very surprised if that amounted to anything more than Rodgers pulling Suarez to one side and saying 'I really don't give a shit what you do on the pitch as long as you win games for the team, but you've put me in an awkward position by admitting you dived so watch what what you say in future and I'll just say we're dealing with it in house but really we're going to do fuck all.'

 

Things like this are just on of the reasons why modern football is so fucking shite. Every single comment, every single sentence is scrutinised to high heaven and people can't wait to react. Frankly, as long as it's nothing as embarrassing as Hodgson's 'I hope Sir Alex forgives me for taking this job' line, I really couldn't care. Must of what managers say these days is just rehearsed bollocks and it's not stuff I can be arsed going into detail with.

 

I really don't think Martin Skrtel is too much of a wallflower to be miffed with a poor performance called into question. I doubt it's the first time it's happened in his career and I doubt it's the last. If his reaction is to mope and sulk rather than buck up and get on with things in a professional manner, you have to question the lad's head. As I said, I can't see him being so sensitive that he's curled up in a ball crying somewhere in Melwood.

 

If you're upset by your manager criticising you, then you're probably not cut out to be a footballer, to be honest. And that's not aimed at Skrtel, by the way. It's just a general statement.

 

Give the man a hand - brilliant.

[Jonny83]

Posted this in the Oldham match thread before I saw this one but maybe it belongs here more:

 

Regarding his comments after the game, it's not for me to be offended or otherwise on behalf of the youngsters he slated. If it gives them a kick up the arse and improves them in the future when they get chances, he was right to do so, if it demoralises them and harms future performances he was wrong, and only time will tell.

 

Don't care whether carrots or sticks are used, as long as the donkey moves.

 

I'm basically saying, with the comparisons to Hodgson's comments after formidable Northampton, yes the gist of the comments are similar, but to be honest for me he could have said whatever the fuck he liked (within reason) if his strong words were backed up with strong future performances. They weren't, and therefore his comments were rightly added in the "fuck-ups" column of the balance sheet.

[Strontium]

If you're going to criticise your players, do it in private behind closed doors and keep it there. That's the Liverpool way isnt it?

 

 

FSG and Rodgers have shown absolutely no sign of understanding the Liverpool way thus far, what makes you think they're going to start now?

[Randy Marsh]

Faustus spot on as usual.

[Guest San Don]

Some good points very well made in these posts.

 

But, so soon into his reign, is this public vilification too early? Has enough time been given to other methods? Afterall, it seems that this one game has triggered the public name and shame routine.

 

That said, at what stage does public showing up become over the mark? Sir Bob did it once to my knowledge which immediately resulted in Phil Neal publically replying on the players behalf that they were not 'fancy dans' and were not deliberately underperforming. I seem to remember it caused a bit of a stand off within the club for some time.

[Brownie]

Excellent post from Faustus. The over-analysis of every tiny word that a manager says when he's been in charge for just 6 months, is just weird. It's almost like people are just looking for something to complain about.

[Guest San Don]

FSG and Rodgers have shown absolutely no sign of understanding the Liverpool way thus far, what makes you think they're going to start now?

 

Im just throwing it out there mate.

 

I know there have been instances of past managers doing this but a few lingering nasty smells hung around for a while.