Adkins Interview Ahead of Crewe (H)

[Balham]

His Twitter account does and I've based it on that

https://twitter.com/Che29Adams

You don't need an Alt+ code for the acute accent: just hold the AltGr button and press the relevant key. Shift+AltGr+ gives a capital.

Á É Í Ó Ú

á é í ó ú

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

You don't need an Alt+ code for the acute accent: just hold the AltGr button and press the relevant key. Shift+AltGr+ gives a capital.

Á É Í Ó Ú

á é í ó ú

A while ago I looked into uses for the AltGr key - and didn't find any.

áéíóú ÁÉÍÓÚ

Thanks.

 

[Finn Keane o' Balmaqueen]

They'd be the third along with Bury and Millwall.

We've done the double over the mighty Doncaster.

Let's hope that's the last of any more potential doubles against.

Only one in our favour, that's poor show. Not that we're entitled, but only one all season, by Easter.
Must do better United.

 

[Bartleby]

• planning next pre-season: squad have to arrive at the start of next season in better mental and physical shape

Well what wrong this pre-season then?
That excuse only works if you get appointed mid-season.
Adkins was appointed on 2nd June, 4 weeks before the first training session.
What is he going to do differently this season?

not wanting to vigourously defend Adkins here as so much of the above sounds like the usual backside covering guff, but weren't the players all off on their holidays when he took over? So I presume he means they were in a less fit state than he expected when they arrived for that first training session.

 

[Bartleby]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03npvd0

• need to put the ball in the back of the net

Fuckin ell , now that's the sort of out of the box blue sky thinking we are paying him for!

 

[sheffielder]

not wanting to vigourously defend Adkins here as so much of the above sounds like the usual backside covering guff, but weren't the players all off on their holidays when he took over? So I presume he means they were in a less fit state than he expected when they arrived for that first training session.

His biggest complaint was that the injured players were not monitored / worked on over the summer. Other players turned up overweight.

 

[Bartleby]

His biggest complaint was that the injured players were not monitored / worked on over the summer. Other players turned up overweight.

Yeah I think I remember that being said, so do you reckon he could have done summat to start the monitoring earlier? Guess it was in his power to do that if he'd wanted and if they weren't out the country.

 

[Jostein's Bandage]

Load of excuses to save his job. Nothing more than that.

Where was all this at the start of the season? When he said that pre-season and gone well.

Forget positive nige, more like politician nige.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

not wanting to vigourously defend Adkins here as so much of the above sounds like the usual backside covering guff, but weren't the players all off on their holidays when he took over? So I presume he means they were in a less fit state than he expected when they arrived for that first training session.

I know it doesn't fit the everything everywhere is crap all the time narrative but how about:

• the players we had pre-season this year were not fit enough because try as everyone might some were never going to be fit enough eg Baxter, Coutts
• others are injury prone and not fit enough to play 40 games in a season eg Freeman, Bob, Scoogs and others
• we couldn't "get rid" bc of contracts
• we couldn't recruit bc of already gigantic squad size and wage bill

etc.

Pre-season 2016 looks like the plan is to recruit a leaner squad of fit and healthy first team players.

Adkins might be an utterly incompetent delusional megalomaniac who fluked multiple promotions, championships, and play-offs. Or maybe it is a neverending universal conspiracy against the Blades.

Just pointing out that less hysterical options are available.

Yippee! A stick - let's beat the club with it.

 

[Bartleby]

I know it doesn't fit the everything everywhere is crap all the time narrative but how about:

• the players we had pre-season this year were not fit enough because try as everyone might some were never going to be fit enough eg Baxter, Coutts
• others are injury prone and not fit enough to play 40 games in a season eg Freeman, Bob, Scoogs and others
• we couldn't "get rid" bc of contracts
• we couldn't recruit bc of already gigantic squad size and wage bill

etc.

Pre-season 2016 looks like the plan is to recruit a leaner squad of fit and healthy first team players.

Adkins might be an utterly incompetent delusional megalomaniac who fluked multiple promotions, championships, and play-offs. Or maybe it is a neverending universal conspiracy against the Blades.

Just pointing out that less hysterical options are available.

Yippee! A stick - let's beat the club with it.

my point was actually in his defence TBF, though I would say that lack of fitness is not really a key factor in our failure this season. It's lack of ability coupled with lack of spirit/courage/motivation IMO.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

my point was actually in his defence TBF, though I would say that lack of fitness is not really a key factor in our failure this season. It's lack of ability coupled with lack of spirit/courage/motivation IMO.

Yes. I was making a general point. Not sure why your quote appeared in my post.

Perhaps I'm not putting enough effort in...

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I would say this is potentially a legitimate system when you have just sold your best player who happens to be a winger and not adequately replaced him. Unfortunately we spent most of the season trying to play the same system or variations, without him. We've come to 3-5-2 simply because results have not been good under other formations and it was the next on the list of things to try. It doesn't seem to emanate from any particular vision or evaluation of the playing staff's abilities.

Which to me is a concern. Anyone from the Kop could come along and randomly try things. You expect a little more from a guy taking home circa 500k per annum.

I think there’s a bit more to it.


1. Lack of natural wingers.

2. Lack of CMs that can play as a 2.

3. Lack of strikers that can play up there on their own.

4. Our best player is arguably most suited to the wing back role.


But it’s worrying that the system is designed to minimize our shortcomings much more than accentuating our strengths. I think that just says it all about how poor our squad is.

 

[Bartleby]

Looks like the remit was prune the squad, build fitter, leaner and long term.

that's not how I remember what was said at the time he came in. It was all about how we must get promotion this season IIRC and that expectation was placed very clearly in the fans minds, at a time when it seemed inconceivable we would be in 12th position and 16 points off the automatics by Easter.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Again you're talking as though Adkins took over in mid-September with no opportunity to assess the squad. To decide which players weren't mentally and physically capable enough for him and bring in players who were.

He was waxing lyrical about how all the players had "conducted themselves excellently" and to underline how satisfied he was, he didn't offload a single unwanted player from his "bloated" squad until well into the new season.

He dragged players like McFadzean, JCR and Diego back from the exit door and then hardly played them. He built his new team around self-centred egotists like Collins and Coutts and shaped his formation(s) to accommodate the physically incapable Baxter and Coutts (again).

But none of that was his fault because he had a mere 8 weeks before the first transfer window slammed shut? What was he supposed to do last Summer? Make tough managerial decisions and make sure his squad were physically and mentally prepared?

I’d say the bigger issue he had was that they were all contracted to the club and he could only move on those that were wanted by other clubs. Another big issue was that there seemingly wasn’t enough room in the budget to conduct the overhaul that was required. Admittedly, he could have got better value for money than he did with the signings he has made.

 

[Bartleby]

Yes. I was making a general point. Not sure why your quote appeared in my post.

Perhaps I'm not putting enough effort in...

must be summat to do with that pesky Reply button

 

[derryblade]

Very selective in his quoting of stats 33 crosses dominated possession, 33 crosses resulted in 2 shots at goal on any level that is poor. How many crosses failed to beat the first man over hit or were nowhere near a team mate, dominated possession were was the bulk of this possession, our defensive third, midfield third or in the final third as I said selective.

He didn't like the regret strengthening the defence question, poor response, review decisions at end of season I would suggest that may be a little late. Overall again he can certainly talk the talk, but hasn't delivered a great deal for me.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

that's not how I remember what was said at the time he came in. It was all about how we must get promotion this season IIRC and that expectation was placed very clearly in the fans minds, at a time when it seemed inconceivable we would be in 12th position and 16 points off the automatics by Easter.

The two aren't mutually exclusive - but turns out they are in conflict.

 

[Bartleby]

The two aren't mutually exclusive - but turns out they are in conflict.

they are in conflict now, as the onus is being placed on the clear out and next season as if that was the remit all along. They made a mistake by setting the expectation of automatic promotion, and a misjudgment initially in what needed to be done to achieve it.

That said I would rather Adkins did get the chance to rebuild as it's clear that someone will have to do it. But if he was to go I'd rather it was sooner rather than later, the timings of the Wilson and Clough sackings were appalling.

 

[The Bohemian]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03npvd0

Main points for me were something about youngsters and a pathway, and several (other) indications that he's beginning to be able to impose his plan on the club.

The part about Adams at the end was interesting as well. As we've been saying all season he's clearly a work in progress both in terms of talent and professionalism.

No questions about Evans.

• looking forward to the game
• need a victory
• they need a victory
• creating chances - I think he means opportunities to get on the end of...
• 33 crosses at Millwall
• dominated possession - the crosses fair enough, though we didn't get on the end of many - but the possession they let us have
• better at Millwall than against Oldham - can't agree with that: for me Millwall nearly as bad as Bury - the only difference was it was sunnier
• looking to dominate the play and build - sounds like this is part of the overall strategy developing, but didn't we go counterattacking in a very recent home game after going ahead, anyway it sounds like he feels this part of the long term plan is coming together
• still striving for final play off position got to take it as far as we can - interesting turn of phrase, which maybe means 'not giving up till it's arithmetically impossible but realistically that's probably going to happen at some point'
• anyone can beat anyone
• we have to play teams in and around us
• Millwall - supporters top drawer [ours not theirs] - true dat
• Oldham - support excellent [ours not theirs]
• confidence and belief about the players
• need to put the ball in the back of the net
• very close at this moment in time - the way he said this I take as another sign that he thinks things are progressing - maybe the loans out, pruning the squad means Project Positive Nige is entering a building phase as opposed to digging out the foundations phase where things go down before they go up - I expect an animation of the parable of The Wise and Foolish Builders* to be shown at one of the fans forums...to universal acclaim
• think about go and win the next game
• we now have more control over the game - again indication of the Grand Plan
• keep believing - has experience of scoring in last minute of last game, sneaking into play-offs and getting promoted from there - has this really happened?
• Baptiste not on Satdi but not as bad as first thought - unfortunate though
• have to deal with it, happens to all teams - I think this is always a good point: you focus on the players you're missing, but all teams will be having these troubles
• working hard on loans - things been going on
• Q: Smile on your face implies you're expecting it
• A: Well it has to go over the line - it sounds like things are lined up but very hard to read either way, last week was much more downbeat on this front I thought. Does the club have PR specialist because expectation management is important here. If Adkins hasn't got something lined up then imo, for the sake of everyone's sanity, he should have downplayed this more. It's very easy to talk to the reporter in front of you, rather than see him in his professional capacity as one voice representing hundreds/thousands of fans.
• pathway for the youngsters (1)
• have to make sure system is not clogged up
• pathway for the youngsters (2)
• time for some senior players to move on
• those who are staying need to get game time
• pathway for the youngsters (3)
• Q: Is defence a priority bc the youngsters are attackers?
• Kelly gets a mention, along with the general idea of having young players in and around the first team [possibly showing them the pathway ] either in training or on the bench - makes a good point that a young player in attack/midfield can make a mistake or even several, but in defence or in goal it can be highlighted
• talks about balance between attack and defence
• Q: Start of the season you said "goals win games defences win championships". Do you regret not focusing more resources on defence? - mentions Collins and Edgar but doesn't really answera good question
• planning next pre-season: squad have to arrive at the start of next season in better mental and physical shape
• end of season review for longer term questions
• have you seen reaction from Ché
• talks about picking Sammon over Ché - this wasn't really what the question was about, clearly aware of the uneducated, ill-considered, blinkered, angry-mob, know-nothing-at-all-about-football reaction from nearly everyone, apart from 2 or 3 extremely insightful posters on here - and Conor's mum
• he's trained well Ché - mention him three times bc I've learned the alt code for é
• talk about Ché becoming more professional - the u20s have trained at BDTBL and he was part of the squad last time
• he will develop because we'll make sure he does
• need to add grit - a more general point about young players
• sometimes given everything on a plate, everyone tells you how good you are, but you have to earn that and not sit on your laurels

*http://request.org.uk/restart/2014/12/10/story-time-wise-foolish-builders/

Thanks for this, WHF, your summary is appreciated.

Taking a step back from the detail, isn't the bigger picture that this season has been an unmitigated disaster? I doubt even the most ardent cynic expected us to be spending most of this season drowning in mid-table obscurity when Adkins was appointed last June. Certainly he didn't, based on his repeated assertion of being in striking distance of the top 2 by January and automatic promotion by May. This based on his assessment of his squad over a full pre-season.

He has failed, miserably, against his own target. We are therefore left with trying to understand why?

The most commonly repeated excuses/explanations (depending on your perspective) seem to be:

- It's Clough's fault: poor signings, negative playing style etc. (He did much better than Adkins and seems to be doing OK at Burton with limited resources)

- It's the Board's fault: lack of investment, poor judgement etc. (He has clearly been backed given all his signings have come from Premier League and Championship clubs and he was a very popular appointment amongst supporters)

- It's the players' fault: lack of commitment, ability etc. (This must be the Manager's job to sort out and we appear to have gone backwards)


Whilst some elements of the above may be a factor in our current malaise, surely Adkins takes most responsibility?

The question we are then left with is, 'How confident are we that he can improve things, dramatically, next season?'

If we break this down further:

- Will he sign the right players to mount a third division promotion challenge?
- Can he organise these players into a winning system?
- Can he motivate players to give everything for him?

If we base our assessment of this on what we've seen from Adkins to date, it's hard to feel over confident.

We're then left clinging onto his previous successes in getting Scunny (twice) and Southampton out of Div 3. Admirable as these achievements were, I'm not sure he can live off them for much longer.

My starting point with every Manager is to give reasonable time and backing. The amount of time should be seen in the context of the size of the challenge faced and the resources available to meet the challenge. If we accept McCabe's assessment of our playing budget being either the highest or second highest in the division (probably behind 'parachuting Wigan'), then a mid-table finish in Div 3 looks well short of acceptability.

I still believe that the board got it wrong in the timing of sacking both Wilson and Clough (http://www.s24su.com/forum/index.ph...lson-weir-and-clough-could-save-adkins.43650/) and this may buy Adkins more time. Unless of course, a large enough section of the crowd turns vocally against him, in which case I suspect Adkins' time will be up.

 

[BushBlade]

Thanks for this, WHF, your summary is appreciated.

Taking a step back from the detail, isn't the bigger picture that this season has been an unmitigated disaster? I doubt even the most ardent cynic expected us to be spending most of this season drowning in mid-table obscurity when Adkins was appointed last June. Certainly he didn't, based on his repeated assertion of being in striking distance of the top 2 by January and automatic promotion by May. This based on his assessment of his squad over a full pre-season.

He has failed, miserably, against his own target. We are therefore left with trying to understand why?

The most commonly repeated excuses/explanations (depending on your perspective) seem to be:

- It's Clough's fault: poor signings, negative playing style etc. (He did much better than Adkins and seems to be doing OK at Burton with limited resources)

- It's the Board's fault: lack of investment, poor judgement etc. (He has clearly been backed given all his signings have come from Premier League and Championship clubs and he was a very popular appointment amongst supporters)

- It's the players' fault: lack of commitment, ability etc. (This must be the Manager's job to sort out and we appear to have gone backwards)


Whilst some elements of the above may be a factor in our current malaise, surely Adkins takes most responsibility?

The question we are then left with is, 'How confident are we that he can improve things, dramatically, next season?'

If we break this down further:

- Will he sign the right players to mount a third division promotion challenge?
- Can he organise these players into a winning system?
- Can he motivate players to give everything for him?

If we base our assessment of this on what we've seen from Adkins to date, it's hard to feel over confident.

We're then left clinging onto his previous successes in getting Scunny (twice) and Southampton out of Div 3. Admirable as these achievements were, I'm not sure he can live off them for much longer.

My starting point with every Manager is to give reasonable time and backing. The amount of time should be seen in the context of the size of the challenge faced and the resources available to meet the challenge. If we accept McCabe's assessment of our playing budget being either the highest or second highest in the division (probably behind 'parachuting Wigan'), then a mid-table finish in Div 3 looks well short of acceptability.

I still believe that the board got it wrong in the timing of sacking both Wilson and Clough (http://www.s24su.com/forum/index.ph...lson-weir-and-clough-could-save-adkins.43650/) and this may buy Adkins more time. Unless of course, a large enough section of the crowd turns vocally against him, in which case I suspect Adkins' time will be up.

It doesn't matter how big our wage bill is if we're over paying for shit. When will KM understand this?

Having a big wage bill hasn't made us a championship club in L1, it's just cleaned out the Prince, and McCabe before him. If you pay £120k for a Ford Focus you don't get a Bentley, you get a Ford Focus so don't start crying when you realise a Bentley is better than your '£120k car'.

More generally, Clough's side was built to play one way, dull 451. In hindsight I think NA wishes he'd stuck with that and tried to grind his way to the playoffs but I think part of his brief was to be a bit more entertaining.

In fact, with the benefit of hindsight I'm pretty sure Adkins would have done a lot of things differently.

 

[grafikhaus]

3-5-2 is a big red flag for me. When a manager turns to that system, at this level, I do get worried.

I get more worried when a football manager starts using words like 'pathway'. When a politician uses it, I'm not worried. I know he's talking bollocks.

Again you're talking as though Adkins took over in mid-September with no opportunity to assess the squad. To decide which players weren't mentally and physically capable enough for him and bring in players who were?

Think you're being a bit harsh, Sothall. You can't just expect a bloke to have a full pre-season and almost a full season to assess his squad, turn it around and hit the ground running.

It's not as if we're talking relegation-certainties Rotherham six weeks ago....

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

his repeated assertion of being in striking distance of the top 2 by January and automatic promotion by May. This based on his assessment of his squad over a full pre-season.

Isn't it more likely the assertion was based on a need to maintain/instil belief in the players and set aims for the season. There was always a short-term/long-term conflict.

Pre-season interview he was frank about whether the squad was good enough (No) - and then we sold Murphy.

- It's the players' fault: lack of commitment, ability etc. (This must be the Manager's job to sort out and we appear to have gone backwards)

A manager not a magician. Polishing turds is favoured forum shorthand. Some have shaped up. Some have shipped out.

If we break this down further:

- Will he sign the right players to mount a third division promotion challenge?
- Can he organise these players into a winning system?
- Can he motivate players to give everything for him?

Those are the relevant questions. I'd say

-Sounds like they've been recruiting all season
-Yes, it'll be 4-4-2 basically with players suited to the system
-the players will fit his style of using intrinsic motivation

If we base our assessment of this on what we've seen from Adkins to date, it's hard to feel over confident.

I think he talks a very good game - let's hope when he gets to put it into practice he recreates his former achievements rather than ending up like our Gary Neville - who also talks a very good game. On balance I think it's more likely we'll succeed. Maybe we'll even be favourites for promotion...

We're then left clinging onto

Clinging on to?

this may buy Adkins more time. Unless of course, a large enough section of the crowd turns vocally against him, in which case I suspect Adkins' time will be up.

I just can't see how it's remotely possible Adkins will be sacked. All the signs are of a long term commitment by the Board to him and by him to the cllub. McCabe has enough real world experience to know that things can sometimes get worse before they get better - in fact didn't this very phrase crop up in an interview (with Adkins?) a few months ago.

The problem is things can also get worse before they get even worser.

This summer may well define the future of the club for years to come.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

When will KM understand this?

I think it was very clear in his interview that he thought some players had basically been using United (this means in large part his personal wealth - though he didn't explicitly make that connection) as some kind of social security.

I've arrived. I've made it. I'm well paid. I don't need to bother any more.

 

[BushBlade]

I think it was very clear in his interview that he thought some players had basically been using United (this means in large part his personal wealth - though he didn't explicitly make that connection) as some kind of social security.

I've arrived. I've made it. I'm well paid. I don't need to bother any more.

But a lot of our signings were senior players like Coutts, McEv, Basham. They'll be the ones on the big money and probably weren't skint when they joined us. They'd arrived, made it and were now considering going home.

 

[The Bohemian]

manager not a magician. Polishing turds is favoured forum shorthand. Some have shaped up. Some have shipped out.

To follow your metaphor: some of the "turds" are of his own excretion.

 

[BerksBlade]

So where is this pathway that Adkins keeps referring to? Does it lead to the Blade-o-coaster?

 

[Deaneandagana]

Thanks for this, WHF, your summary is appreciated.

Taking a step back from the detail, isn't the bigger picture that this season has been an unmitigated disaster? I doubt even the most ardent cynic expected us to be spending most of this season drowning in mid-table obscurity when Adkins was appointed last June. Certainly he didn't, based on his repeated assertion of being in striking distance of the top 2 by January and automatic promotion by May. This based on his assessment of his squad over a full pre-season.

He has failed, miserably, against his own target. We are therefore left with trying to understand why?

The most commonly repeated excuses/explanations (depending on your perspective) seem to be:

- It's Clough's fault: poor signings, negative playing style etc. (He did much better than Adkins and seems to be doing OK at Burton with limited resources)

- It's the Board's fault: lack of investment, poor judgement etc. (He has clearly been backed given all his signings have come from Premier League and Championship clubs and he was a very popular appointment amongst supporters)

- It's the players' fault: lack of commitment, ability etc. (This must be the Manager's job to sort out and we appear to have gone backwards)


Whilst some elements of the above may be a factor in our current malaise, surely Adkins takes most responsibility?

The question we are then left with is, 'How confident are we that he can improve things, dramatically, next season?'

If we break this down further:

- Will he sign the right players to mount a third division promotion challenge?
- Can he organise these players into a winning system?
- Can he motivate players to give everything for him?

If we base our assessment of this on what we've seen from Adkins to date, it's hard to feel over confident.

We're then left clinging onto his previous successes in getting Scunny (twice) and Southampton out of Div 3. Admirable as these achievements were, I'm not sure he can live off them for much longer.

My starting point with every Manager is to give reasonable time and backing. The amount of time should be seen in the context of the size of the challenge faced and the resources available to meet the challenge. If we accept McCabe's assessment of our playing budget being either the highest or second highest in the division (probably behind 'parachuting Wigan'), then a mid-table finish in Div 3 looks well short of acceptability.

I still believe that the board got it wrong in the timing of sacking both Wilson and Clough (http://www.s24su.com/forum/index.ph...lson-weir-and-clough-could-save-adkins.43650/) and this may buy Adkins more time. Unless of course, a large enough section of the crowd turns vocally against him, in which case I suspect Adkins' time will be up.

Yep, pretty much sums up where I'm at with this fella, the club has massively underachieved (yet again) & Adkins has failed to motivate, inspire, cajole, caress, kick their arses in order to get consistent levels of performances.

Note the goings on at the NY stadium & the 2 incumbents presently in situ.

 

[BushBlade]

I get more worried when a football manager starts using words like 'pathway'. When a politician uses it, I'm not worried. I know he's talking bollocks.


Think you're being a bit harsh, Sothall. You can't just expect a bloke to have a full pre-season and almost a full season to assess his squad, turn it around and hit the ground running.

It's not as if we're talking relegation-certainties Rotherham six weeks ago....

Bear in mind Rotherham were doing OK until they had a blip and sacked Evans. Redfearn was a naive appointment. If ever there was a manager perfect to take over a team put together by Evans, it's Warnock. It's a team of players that respond to a loud arrogant, aggressive gobshite.

 

[Grappler]

• planning next pre-season: squad have to arrive at the start of next season in better mental and physical shape

Well what wrong this pre-season then?
That excuse only works if you get appointed mid-season.
Adkins was appointed on 2nd June, 4 weeks before the first training session.
What is he going to do differently this season?

Not heard the interview, so just going on memory, but didn't Adkins take all the squad to Sheffield Hallam University, to the Sports Science department, where the staff put the team through a battery of fitness tests, and the results were less than good? I think Adkins said to the press that the team were not up to his required level of fitness.

I can only assume that "next pre-season", means not only friendly games, but keeping fit all summer, so you are 100% at your best on day one, and not taking weeks to drop those holiday binge pounds caused by too much food and drink.

In other words, you are supposed to be a professional athlete, act like one, keep in shape all year round.......

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Not heard the interview, so just going on memory, but didn't Adkins take all the squad to Sheffield Hallam University, to the Sports Science department, where the staff put the team through a battery of fitness tests, and the results were less than good? I think Adkins said to the press that the team were not up to his required level of fitness.

I can only assume that "next pre-season", means not only friendly games, but keeping fit all summer, so you are 100% at your best on day one, and not taking weeks to drop those holiday binge pounds caused by too much food and drink.

In other words, you are supposed to be a professional athlete, act like one, keep in shape all year round.......

So what is he going to do this pre-season that he couldn't have done between 2nd and 29th June last pre-season?
Is he going to call them in for regular fitness tests throughout the Summer? He could have done that last Summer.
Is he going to contact them all with a stern reminder of their professional responsibility to keep fit? He could have done that last Summer.

Every incoming manager insists that the players aren't fit enough and not up to their own much more exacting standards.
Most haven't got the cheek to do so having had a full Summer to ensure that their own standards are rigorously applied.

Incidentally, he doesn't mention here that the players are not up to his required level of fitness.
So I'm not sure which press he did say that to if it wasn't the Sheffield Star:-

http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/foot...ted-new-boss-reaches-squad-decision-1-7346981

The clock was really ticking by that point. Only 31 days left to improve their fitness before the first match.