Out of interest what has Devlin supposedly said ? I dont follow any of the players on Twitter, did he or others say something on there ?
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Nothing. The rumour, and my point is there’s literally no basis for this rumour, is that Keates has made it very clear throughout the season that he doesn’t think certain players he inherited are good enough, and furthermore hasn’t been shy in telling those players which has meant that moral has been low thanks to Keates.
You’d have to assume Nicky Devlin were among that list, IF IT WERE TRUE, considering he fits the criteria, Keates has already tried to replace him once and hasn’t been offered a new deal.
Thank you for the clarification I thought that somebody may have had confirmed information in relation to player dissent.
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In fact he goes even further in the full interview released on the club site, saying that it’s time for the players to “man up” and “We’ve got to work hard together as a squad and as a club. The fans turned up; they’re doing their part, we aren’t doing ours.”.
Sounds like he doesn’t exactly need Keates to point out his and others performances haven’t been good enough.
Dire performance, followed by a week of Keates and various players saying they’ve got to this that and the other in the E and S, followed by an even more dire performance, followed by another week of tripe, followed by an even more dire performance, then more tripe, then …anyone else just finding this to be utterly depressing??, Even by the standards of being a Walsall fan, whereby all we ask is for some basic effort, a modecom of entertainment, and a win now and again?
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Just got to sit back and watch it unravel.
Plenty been sacked at Walsall before this point but I just can’t see us doing it before Whitney and Sharps are off the payroll.
Until then we sit here in this purgatory. We know we’re done. The players know they are done. The manager knows he’s done. But the relentless fixture list means we have to go through a weekly cycle of looking stern, appearing determined and saying stuff. Just stuff. Anything. It’s all meaningless. It achieves nothing other than filling the water thin appetite for more stuff to read about a team that has failed and looks bereft of any idea of how to stop failing. Blah blah stuff blah blah.
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Happy Monday everyone!!! 
(spot on though)
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This is bad man management in my opinion. He’s either been very upfront with them to either a) spur them on to ‘prove him wrong’ and perform better, or b) he’s just not very clever.
Judging on how he has shown himself this season, especially in press conferences I think its the latter.
If it’s true. And even then I’m not sure it is bad man management.
These aren’t precious little darlings incapable of hearing criticism. Don’t you think the players know the performances aren’t good enough? That’s exactly what Devlin is alluding to.
Its obvious they know this, some of them just don’t give a ■■■■. This much is obvious. I haven’t knocked Devlin once this season, he, more so than others I feel can at least rest easy in knowing he has given his all, rather than just downing tools.
Question is are they good enough to do anything about it and halt the slide? it doesnt look like it at the moment the players must take there share of the flak also half of them dont look bothered and the ones that do are still lacking in confidence you can see it.
Totally agree on Devlin.
As for the ones who know it and don’t give ■■■■ I can’t say I blame Keates for telling them exactly what they are then if that is the case.
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For his faults you cant question his commitment also a decent bloke as well took me some time to make my mind up about him but i would now actually keep him at the club you need a few characters like him in your squad.
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You have a point, but due to them obviously having such bad attitudes, I personally think it was a bad move. In their minds, it gives them justification for being ■■■■, because their manager has said so himself.
I don’t mind him telling them, but don’t tell them and then continue to pick them.
Maybe. This whole debate is based on supposition though. The supposition Keates has alienated the players in the first place. The supposition that certain players have such bad attitudes that a telling off from the manager results in downing tools.
My point was Devlin, a man who is probably in that group of players, has not only backed his manager but turned the blame onto himself and his team mates rather than the manager. Doesn’t sound to me like a dressing room thinking “■■■■ him”.
In fact I’ll say this for the squad. It seems to lack quality but no shortage of effort and application. Leahy, Guthrie, Fitz, Edwards, Devlin, Kinsella, Dobson, Cook, Gordon all strike me as players that one way or the other will put in 110 percent and have done for most of their games. It’s just my perception but I don’t get the impression this is a squad that is shrugging it’s shoulders at the manager.
Well if “manning up” is a choice,how come they have left it this long to man up,or is it just some puerile,off the cuff statement,he thinks will get him in the team?
I think it means not feeling sorry for yourself after an extremely disappointing result, but sure, lets give the player no credit whatsoever and turn it into a negative.
Maybe that’s the problem,and I don’t think anyone would give the players (apart from 1 or 2) any credit whatsoever or the manager either.
…What?
Maybe they should have a bit more “feeling sorry” for themselves…at least it would show that they realise how they are letting the club and the fans down.
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