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[Alty365]

From the official site:

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"WE ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH" SAYS GRAHAM

The following is the text of Cote’s Comments, by Alty manager Graham Heathcote, which were published in Tuesday night's Robins' Review programme:

I Will Ensure These Players Earn Their Very Good Part-Time Wages

Firstly I must apologise for the inept way that we played in the first half at Stevenage. Whilst I always felt it was going to be a difficult game with Stevenage getting many of their better players back, and the fact that some of the football they played in the first half was very good, we certainly didn’t help ourselves with a lack of sharpness in the opening twenty minutes, and a lack of discipline in our defending. Indeed, I was forced to change our system after about ten minutes as we were being totally overrun and seemed incapable of getting tight to their players in our half. We were lucky to be only 2-0 down at half time – that was due to some brilliance from Stuart in goal.

A lot was said at half time and the players showed in the second half, that they were so much better than our first half performance. The penalty decision finally killed us off so I have to accept that we are not good enough and I have to find players who are good enough, or at least want it more. I will be looking at a few players tonight, and it is up to them to show me that they want to be a part of this team, competing in this league. I have given out a fair few contracts to players who have not lived up to my expectations of them, and whilst they should be better than their performances so far this season, the results suggest some are not up to it or don’t want it enough. Some fans may say I’m not up to it, that’s a decision for the Chairman and the Board.

All I will say is I will not allow players to just come here and pick their money up for doing nothing. If this means putting more nights in, then so be it. I’ve always been loath to do that, but as I feel, I, or you our supporters, are not getting value for money out of our players. Something has to be done. The pre-season form has totally thrown us. Whilst some players looked very good then, they have failed to reach the required standard of this league and what hurts me is I’m not sure that it hurts them anywhere near enough. There has to be, and there will be changes. The talking has to stop, we will have to play to a system that will enable us to grind out some results, and some players may get a shock when they are not picked. I hope they come to see me, I’ve got DVDs waiting to give them, and I’ll tell them to watch them and then ask me why they’re not playing.

We have a few new players – we have to give them their chance. We have treated the players to the best of everything we can give them, and they have taken that and given nothing back. Well, the taking has to stop. I’m the one who will now be doing the taking and if anyone doesn’t like it, they can go. This club deserves better than we are getting and if this group of players don’t care enough about the results, then I have to find some who will. I did not believe we would be in the position we are, but we are and whilst I am the manager, I will ensure these players earn their very good part time wages one way or another.

Enjoy the game,

Graham.

[chrisrufc]

Nice article.

For what it's worth, I would happily see GH given some more time to sort things out but not indefinitely.  I hope 'grind' isn't a codeword for Lone striker

[Jezza]

we will have to play to a system that will enable us to grind out some results

Farewell the attacking football we've been playing so far then................

[Saughall Robin]

I thought we were already supposed to be grinding them out? 

[The Fan]

Excellent. Such a pro-active public display of disappointment and a drive to do something about it is exactly what I want to see. I am not his biggest fan but if he is going to stay, things like this at least reassure me that we are not going to just lie down like a dead dog.

[Beez]

Attacking football? prior to last night we've barely had a shot recently.

[VofD]

Remind me. WHO signed these players?

[Longman]

To be honest it sounds to me as if Graham is losing it a bit.

[Narcissist]

I can understand his comments. And its probably one of the best responses we could have expected.

However, for me it would have been better if the manager would have taken some of the responsibility for the fact we arent seeing enough from the players.

Secondly, its a bit late for me. I got the impression in the Salisbury game that the players weren't 100% on the game, and we could have taken them to the cleaners with a bit of application. We've been off form in too many games this season. Why should we have to wait until 9 games in before someone blasts the players in public?

[wayno]

I said right at the start of the seaon we did not seem switched for the full 90 minutes mentally. This has got progressively worse.

[gunners11]

 i think altrincham should take a very long hard look in the mirror and get rid of graham heathcote and get new manager because we cannot go on like this 8 games since a win. it is very stupid  the players are good but they should play as a team  at like a team talk  shout. what has gone wrong with altrincham football club. the alty are going we will be playing unibond division 2 or lower iam sorry to say alty are just no hopers if you read an article that graham said we are not good enough well that just says it all. good  luck  alty you damn well need it