I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he is absolutely spot on with everything he has said. Seems there has been a systamatic breakdown of standards across the squad of holding each other to account and demanding the basics of each other and in training.
My only question is, isn’t he just as culpable for allowing that to continue all season and why does he think he can change it because of a preseason when he hasn’t been able to affect change in the last 7 months?
There was an interesting question from Sam Avery, saying that a cultural issue suggests its a club wide thing rather than just a first time thing. I would need to listen to it again to digest Duffs answer properly if I am honest, but he seemed to steer it back towards the 1st team squad and how they have and are given all the nice things in the world but they seem to be taking it for granted.
(shades of how people are blaming Leicesters relegation on there nice training ground and things)
Still, my point stands that he has been in charge of these players longer than anyone and should be able to affect change in those here. If he is trying and “back me or sack me” approach and they back him in the summer (which I rather suspect they will) he is also putting a noose round his own neck if the culture continues.
From that interview I get the impression Duff is confident it won’t be him leaving and a lot more of the squad may be leaving or loaned out ; so he can get in players more in the old Ainsworth attitude mould … he seems genuinely utterly pissed off with a chunk of the squad he has been handed…not their football skills, but their ‘entitled’ expectations of what it actually takes to be a top performing footballer in league one. I suggest listening to the interview before commenting here…it’s an eye opener.
Our servant glides past and does a silent-movie double take. “Your snails!” he exclaims. “They have not come!” His cheeks bulge as he flaps his short arms. In all my years of professional eating, I have never seen this before. I have seen waiters do many, many things, including burst into tears and juggle knives, and I once glimpsed one having sex. But never, ever has a waiter commiserated with me about the lack of service.
There seems alot of negative feelings on here after the game. Should we not take a step back and see that we just played the league champions who’ve just smashed 100 points? Duff does seem harsh with his comments, but maybe it’s because he wants the team to realise the levels they need to be next season if we are really going to stand a chance of promotion, like Lincoln.
His job is to get the best out of the players. He has some, of the most technically proficient players i’ve seen.
I do wonder if hes just trying to cover himself, and push the blame, especially if hes feeling the pressure. He should be under pressure, the form has been poor.
But, if he goes fir his own type players, abd has a poor start, we are in tge position of then having another manager, with someone else’s players.
I thought the point was to bring in the players, and expect the coach to get tge best out of them. Its easy to see, that isn’t happening though
It will be interesting how Rice reacts to Duff’s outburst in his post match interview. Will he support him or move him on. Duff is certainly having a pop at the character of many of the players recruited by Rice’s men. Ainsworth always praised the strength of character of his players and how they would run through a brick wall for the club. Not seeing that in most of our players.
He’s certainly given the club the perfect excuse to sack him with a record of seven points from the last thirty. Dodds was sacked after getting five points from 24, let’s not forget.
It will be absolutely fascinating to see how the club responds after next week. I read Duff’s interview today as a coded message to future employers - it wasn’t my fault they sacked me, gov, it was those darstedly players.
We’ve seen enough good things since Duff took over to give him a Summer window and ‘at least10 games ™️’ before forming negative opinions. Doddsy was given that, so Duff should at least get the same. I’m convinced he will get this right, so let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water.
