Ward remaining defiant despite U's winless start (From Essex County Standard)
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Ward remaining defiant despite U's winless start
3:32pm Monday 17th September 2012 in Sport By Jonathan Waldron
Pensive - Colchester United manager John Ward. Picture: ADRIAN RUSHTON (CO69248-143)
Under-fire John Ward has backed his struggling Colchester United players to fight for him, after their woeful start to the season continued.
The U’s 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Doncaster Rovers left them rooted to the bottom of the League One table and still searching for their first win of the campaign.
After three successive defeats, Colchester have failed to win any of their opening six league matches.
It is their worst start to a season in decades, increasing calls for Ward to be replaced as manager from some disgruntled supporters.
However, the U’s boss is remaining defiant, ahead of tomorrow night’s home game against Crawley Town.
Ward said: “It’s easy to support a winning team and have a winning group.
“The tough thing is toughing it out when things are difficult.
“You can walk away, run away or hide away from it or boo or cheer or shout.
“The tough thing is to believe in what you’re doing and I have a group of players who will stand up and fight.
“We’ve conceded two exceptionally soft goals against Doncaster, from our point of view.
“I know there’s no good time to do anything but we put ourselves in a position where we’ve been chasing the game for a large part of the match.
“But I’ve got the opportunity to work with these players today and try and improve it for tomorrow night.
“We need the same attitude towards everything in training today.
“That’s a good thing – they want to work and I want to work with them.
“It’s important today that we come in without feeling sorry for ourselves and we have a good go at it.
“If we can get something in our favour tomorrow night then hopefully the supporters will go home happy and that’s what we have to try and do.”
See Monday's Gazette for more on this story and all of the latest Colchester United , including reaction, pictures and a match report from the U's game with Doncaster Rovers.
Comments(11)
New forward
says...
4:03pm Mon 17 Sep 12
- that is if the supporters are there in the first place John!
Banbury U
says...
4:55pm Mon 17 Sep 12
We will "try and improve it for tomorrow night"
All I am reading here is very vague wishy-washy statements of intent. This kind of language will not motivate any of the players. I hope that JW talks to the players very differently to how he talks to the press!!
Steve86
says...
5:34pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Banbury U wrote:I totally agree.
"If we can get something...", "hopefully the supporters will go home happy...", "that's what we have to try and do"
We will "try and improve it for tomorrow night"
All I am reading here is very vague wishy-washy statements of intent. This kind of language will not motivate any of the players. I hope that JW talks to the players very differently to how he talks to the press!!
Lack of motivational skills have caused the laziness on the pitch, he should be saying that the players BETTER perform tomorrow or he'll drop them or drop some wages.
WARD OUT.
E I E I E I O down the table, here we go... When we get relegated this is what we'll sing... We told you we told you we told you COWLING.
Feisty CBC
says...
7:47pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Surb
says...
8:42pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Theres that word again "TRY"... no point trying Ward you should say
"We will do our best and get something tomorrow night, so our supporters can go home happy and thats what we will do"
So some fight, the people skills are really poor hopefully you dont chat to our players that way.
BenHcufc
says...
8:55pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Eddy D
says...
9:12pm Mon 17 Sep 12
super waluigi
says...
10:27pm Mon 17 Sep 12
I do remember Cowling stating that his biggest regret in his career and he was not limiting this down to football when he said 'sacking George Williams was the worst decision', stating that he should have given him more time.
I wonder if he feels the same about John Ward????
Gone are the safest job in Football comments by Robbie Cowling. He must be weighing up the pro and cons of all scenarios right now.
On a personal point, I would like to see Ward given another month. I feel that mid to late October would be a fair time to back or sack Ward.
Should we be bottom of the league at this point, then I think everyone would agree that this is the right thing to do, but should we be mid table, could Ward take us further? The biggest decision that might haunt Cowling is that Colchester could be hovering around the relegation line, and with that in mind how hard would the George William decision bite on him?
Barside1
says...
10:51pm Mon 17 Sep 12
One win in 20 games.
Dwindling crowds.
Dull and uninspiring team formations.
Not a single goal as yet away from home.
I would be amazed if a replacement manager hasn't been lined up weeks ago.
But if Cowling is about to throw in the towel himself over the training ground situation ( I can't see that he would have any other choice ) then the managerial position may not be on anyone's agenda still.
It feels to me like some big announcements are on the horizon.
myhouse3
says...
12:24am Tue 18 Sep 12
TheCaptain says...
3:59pm Mon 17 Sep 12