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There's no more excuses
8:00am Saturday 30th August 2008
Darren Patterson is telling his Oxford United players today: "No more excuses".
The U's boss has had meetings with the team, collectively, and with individual players this week following Monday's poor performance in the 0-0 draw at home to Woking.
A number gave their versions of why they thought United have begun the season so disappointingly, and although it was probably good that everyone had the chance to air opinions, the manager believes too many are looking for other people, or other things, to blame.
Before the squad headed east this morning for Saturday's Blue Square Premier game at Ebbsfleet United, Patterson revealed: "We've had a few meetings with players this week and there have been several excuses thrown about - and I say excuses.
"I openly admit that our squad has been thin from day one and I, hand-on-heart, hoped for us to cope better than we have. That is not an excuse, it's just a fact.
"With the players we have available, we should be winning more games, and when the injured players get back and are available we should go on and be even stronger.
"The players have got to take responsibility now. I've looked after them and we've given them several chances - it's down now to the players to start performing."
Patterson admitted it was the first time since he'd taken over from Jim Smith that he and his assistant Mickey Lewis had sat down to have a clear-the-air discussion with the players to try to get to the bottom of why results haven't been as they had hoped.
He said: "I watched them on Monday and somebody made a great point: 'why do a lot of them look miserable when they play?' And I've got to say I agree.
"That was one of the questions I asked. Some of them look scared, worried, unhappy - and that's nothing we do. Everything we do when we train is with a smile on our face.
"A lot of them said it's the pressure. That's a load of nonsense.
"Confidence was mentioned and that's an excuse. Confidence is mental toughness.
"We put it to them that anybody can use that as an excuse. If our goalkeeper (Jake Cole) wasn't confident on Monday, we'd have been beaten, so what's his excuse not to be confident? What's their excuse?
"I highlighted Sam Deering's spirit, and Yemi (Odubade) last season after we got beat 3-0 at home. Confidence is the biggest excuse in football.
"I can tell them 'well done', which I do every single day. But if they don't start to dig deep when the going gets tough, to make angles, and to be brave enough to not worry about making a mistake, there's nothing anybody else can do for them.
"Everything they get from us is positive.
"The only thing they get negatively from us is if they're not working hard enough or if they keep making the same mistake, otherwise it's nothing but positivity."
Striker Jamie Guy, who had a short loan spell at Ebbsfleet earlier in his career, will link up again with James Constable in attack.
Guy, who has returned from a hamstring injury, is desperate to get his league goals tally up and running, after hitting seven goals in pre-season.
"It was nice to get back involved last week," he said. "I'm desperate for that first league goal.
"When I was 18 I went on loan to Ebbsfleet and made one sub appearance, then got recalled by colchester. But I was down there for a couple of weeks, and it was the same manager, Liam Daish, who's there now.
"It's been frustrating watching from the sidelines. No excuses, we should have done better than we have done. I went right up the top when doing well in pre-season to feeling right at the bottom with the injury. It's the worst feeling in the world when you're desperate to play and you can't, and I suppose I've got to try and make up for lost time, crack on and get on the goal charts to help us move up the table."
Luke Foster returns from his one-match ban and Joe Burnell could return to midfield after an ankle injury.
Ebbsfleet Utd: (from) Cronin, Ricketts, McCarthy, Charles, Opinel, Shakes, Stone, Barrett, Long, Gash, Moore, Akinde, Hand, Ibe, Mott, Hawkins.
Oxford Utd: (from) Cole, Clarke, Willmott, Quinn, Foster, Carruthers, Murray, Hutchinson, Burnell, Constable, Guy, Odubade, Haldane, Reid, Day, Fisher, Hinchliffe, Deering, Taylor, Groves.
Your Say YourOxford
Thame Yellow, thame says...
8:34am Sat 30 Aug 08
jh, Oxford says...
10:00am Sat 30 Aug 08
Thame Yellow wrote:They get payed to play football
Tell the players to stop thinking about the results or the goal of promotion or the clubs history or the pressure, and get them to concentrate on just playing football. They get played to play football, they should love it and get out there and just enjoy it. Then the success will come.
and there lies the problem. Would you be motivated to do your job if you hadn't been payed for 6 weeks?
Oxford true, Botley says...
10:02am Sat 30 Aug 08
There's no pressure playing as a team, just spirit and collective determination as you are playing for and with your team mates, pressure only comes when you are playing for yourself, it comes from selfish ambitions rather than selfless ambition.
It always looks like 11 individuals out there and thats because they are all more bothered about their own personal ambitions (longer contract, what their bird in the stands thinks about them etc) rather than forgetting themselves and just going for it for the team.
They should focus less on what they are doing as individuals and more on what their team mates need them to do. You know, pass, move. It aint rocket science!
wightyellow, iow says...
10:03am Sat 30 Aug 08
robin, south oxford says...
10:46am Sat 30 Aug 08
Rosie Dodds, says...
10:48am Sat 30 Aug 08
ollietheox, middle barton says...
10:53am Sat 30 Aug 08
Dan, says...
11:24am Sat 30 Aug 08
Oxford true wrote:Spot on couldn't agree more!
Pattos comments about players saying they are feeling pressure shows me they are all playing for themselves and not for the team. There's no pressure playing as a team, just spirit and collective determination as you are playing for and with your team mates, pressure only comes when you are playing for yourself, it comes from selfish ambitions rather than selfless ambition. It always looks like 11 individuals out there and thats because they are all more bothered about their own personal ambitions (longer contract, what their bird in the stands thinks about them etc) rather than forgetting themselves and just going for it for the team. They should focus less on what they are doing as individuals and more on what their team mates need them to do. You know, pass, move. It aint rocket science!
Right, oxford says...
11:32am Sat 30 Aug 08
Thame Yellow wrote:What tosh. If the players hadn't been paid for 6 weeks Constable, Haldane and Guy would have all been gone. There would be a transfer embargo on the club and any contracted players would be entitled to free transfers.
edit : should read "paid to play football"
Stop scare-mongering, stop putting the club down and get behind the manager and his team. Right, I'm off to Ebbsfleet now to support my team.
Simon, says...
11:32am Sat 30 Aug 08
Darren also goes on to say about the squad being thin that is his fault and his fault only.
Why does Darren and his players speak to the press cos they make themselves look more like prats than we already think they are!
Philip Brighton, Brighton says...
12:23pm Sat 30 Aug 08
Johnny Shooker., The Abyss. says...
12:23pm Sat 30 Aug 08
Oxford Utd football Club has some of if not the most loyal and patient supporters, but well worn a phrase that is is- enough is enough .. The Club has been abused by a previous owner and subsequently poorly managed by the present owners.
High time the team rewarded the faithful - stopped whinging and won some football matches.
Off the pitch, there needs to be a fans forum asap to inform us -The Clubs only asset the fans, just how true or otherwise are the increasingly worrying rumours regarding the dire financial situation.
When Merry & Co took over they promised to be 'More Open' instead they could hardly have been more secretive. What have they got to hide?
Ian, WITNEY says...
12:29pm Sat 30 Aug 08
horton out, kemp out says...
3:42pm Sat 30 Aug 08
those p[layers dont know what pressure is -
perhaps they should look at what the british army do every day -
and then ask themselevs if they really are under pressure
THOSE OUFC PLAYERS ARE VERY LIGHTWEIGHT HUMAN BEINGS
thank god the british forces are of better calibre of men - and are capable of dealing with real pressure
OUFC - A FOOTBALL TEAM FULL OF LADS THAT DONT KNOW HOW GOOD THEY HAVE IT
patto barmy army, WITNEY says...
5:37pm Sat 30 Aug 08
Your not really supporting this club are you, players and management read this, and all your doing is shooting them down more. Look at Man u's start to the season, I don't hear them moaning. No one is running away with the league and you can't win the league this early, they're all new players that haven't worked together as a team, and you expect to win every match. hahaha idiots.
Petre Folee, Austria. says...
6:33pm Sat 30 Aug 08
patto barmy army wrote:Look at Man u's start to the season, I don't hear them moaning.
LOL moan moan moan, how many managers do you want this club to go through, have a think how many we have had since the stadium was built,.,, Your not really supporting this club are you, players and management read this, and all your doing is shooting them down more. Look at Man u's start to the season, I don't hear them moaning. No one is running away with the league and you can't win the league this early, they're all new players that haven't worked together as a team, and you expect to win every match. hahaha idiots.
Too busy choking on their prawn sarnies i expect. Really, what a stupid comparison- let's keep it real eh? Compared to say Stevenage, who was most neutrals favorites we are doing not too badly! Yes, another silly comparison, but point taken?
I'm a little bit heartened by todays performance, which by accounts was gritty and determined, something we have to be in this league- especially away from home.
A similar performance on tuesday, a rub of the green, and an unbiased referee -you never know we might actually win.
rosey&jim, old manor says...
10:35am Sun 31 Aug 08
jh wrote:when they do there job ,they will be paid,
Thame Yellow wrote: Tell the players to stop thinking about the results or the goal of promotion or the clubs history or the pressure, and get them to concentrate on just playing football. They get played to play football, they should love it and get out there and just enjoy it. Then the success will come.They get payed to play football and there lies the problem. Would you be motivated to do your job if you hadn't been payed for 6 weeks?
Simon, says...
12:27pm Sun 31 Aug 08
patto barmy army wrote:If they keep appointing crap managers then yes I want them to keep going through many to get to a good one.
LOL moan moan moan, how many managers do you want this club to go through, have a think how many we have had since the stadium was built,.,, Your not really supporting this club are you, players and management read this, and all your doing is shooting them down more. Look at Man u's start to the season, I don't hear them moaning. No one is running away with the league and you can't win the league this early, they're all new players that haven't worked together as a team, and you expect to win every match. hahaha idiots.
Darren is naive, tactically very poor and quite obviously a very poor man manager.
I hope the players do read this cos they are not getting the kick up the arse they need from the manager so its upto the supporters to do it.
You say about players haven't worked together before and havent gelled etc. Thats a fair point but alot of teams in this division have signed alot of new players and they seem to be doing ok, so I don't think that is a valid excuse. Is your real name Darren Patterson cos his excuses are as bad as yours!
Jason, Oxford. says...
7:57pm Sun 31 Aug 08
HORTON OUT, KEMP OUT says...
8:28pm Sun 31 Aug 08
Jason wrote:This club`s fans have stuck with the club through thick and thin and have seen far too many loses to be criticised.
I really don't get this clubs fans. One minute Oxford united are the best club in the world and then they lose a few games and then all of a sudden their the worst club in the world. Bloody hell, just be supportive of your club. If you think that way, then in my opinion your not true fans and go and support a lower league club. But with me I'm staying with my club through thick and thin and thats final.
They have a right to demand some success, and they have a right to moan - they have earnt that right in the last 10 years of relegation after relegation
if you were a proper fan youd know what the oxford fans have watched in the last 10 years - thus youd know they have seen more pain than most fans - the fact that they still show an intrest in the club after such tripe - means they do exactly as you say - stay with their club through thick and thin
thus you have no argument. Dont knock the one thing that this club has in strength - ITS VERY LOYAL FANS
Open your eyes, Patto says...
9:58pm Sun 31 Aug 08
Dodgy team tactics and dropping/leaving your best players on the bench. Nice One.
Get a grip, says...
9:14am Mon 1 Sep 08
Jason wrote:How sweet you bought a tear to my eye.
I really don't get this clubs fans. One minute Oxford united are the best club in the world and then they lose a few games and then all of a sudden their the worst club in the world. Bloody hell, just be supportive of your club. If you think that way, then in my opinion your not true fans and go and support a lower league club. But with me I'm staying with my club through thick and thin and thats final.
What a tosser!!!!
Get a grip, says...
9:18am Mon 1 Sep 08
HORTON OUT wrote:Spot on!
Jason wrote: I really don't get this clubs fans. One minute Oxford united are the best club in the world and then they lose a few games and then all of a sudden their the worst club in the world. Bloody hell, just be supportive of your club. If you think that way, then in my opinion your not true fans and go and support a lower league club. But with me I'm staying with my club through thick and thin and thats final.This club`s fans have stuck with the club through thick and thin and have seen far too many loses to be criticised. They have a right to demand some success, and they have a right to moan - they have earnt that right in the last 10 years of relegation after relegation if you were a proper fan youd know what the oxford fans have watched in the last 10 years - thus youd know they have seen more pain than most fans - the fact that they still show an intrest in the club after such tripe - means they do exactly as you say - stay with their club through thick and thin thus you have no argument. Dont knock the one thing that this club has in strength - ITS VERY LOYAL FANS
Jason, oxford says...
3:20pm Mon 1 Sep 08
Blue Square south here we come, says...
3:41pm Mon 1 Sep 08
Jason wrote:How else can you show your anger at another poor performance? To me the manager has no influence on the players so I see it as if they hear fans booing that might be the kick up the arse they so obviously need but not getting from the so called manager.
Oh how ordinal, being called a tosser. I completely understand why fans feel the way that do. But it really **** me off, when all the supposed fans do is boooo at the end of most of their matches. The players go out their to do their best and to win and all they get from the supposed fans is abuse. I mostly appreciate the fans for going to the away matches. I've been too most of the away matches and whenever I can come to the home. So don't you dare say that I'm knocking the clubs strenght.
ollie, brill says...
7:01pm Mon 1 Sep 08
Jason wrote:Players go out of their way to do their best?! Players go out of their way to do their best?! Have you not been watching any of our games cos i have not seen a game yet where each and every player has given 100 percent commitment !
Oh how ordinal, being called a tosser. I completely understand why fans feel the way that do. But it really **** me off, when all the supposed fans do is boooo at the end of most of their matches. The players go out their to do their best and to win and all they get from the supposed fans is abuse. I mostly appreciate the fans for going to the away matches. I\'ve been too most of the away matches and whenever I can come to the home. So don\'t you dare say that I\'m knocking the clubs strenght.
Jason, oxford says...
9:11pm Mon 1 Sep 08
ollie, brill says...
10:24pm Mon 1 Sep 08
Jason, oxford says...
10:59am Tue 2 Sep 08
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Thame Yellow, thame says...
8:33am Sat 30 Aug 08