Lack of professionalism !

[bill taylors apprentice]

We all know how the word professionalism has been adulterated within football to mean gaining an advantage in various ways legal or otherwise.  Whether we like it or not we can't afford to be above using it ourselves.

Today we saw their keeper make the most of a knock and go to ground, the ref may of added on time but it took the pressure off as we were looking slightly dangerous (don't laugh)

Where as when Fredericks got injured early on not only did he not indicate he was unable to carry on but the bench seemed oblivious that he had left a gaping hole for boro to exploit (which they did)

He should of stayed down until they carried him off or someone had been told to drop back and cover for him but no he limped about oblivious to the game until they scored and all our team just looked at each other, doh!

Just one incident but its part of a bigger problem, a hard working team using all their professional know how makes their own luck and we don't have enough of that kind of player.

E.G. We have Stearman who can do a drag back and a fancy body swerve but he cant close a player down to stop a cross which is really what he's in the team for.     

[GrahamG]

When Fredericks got injured it was Scott Parker who seemed to think he was making a meal of it and waved away the trainer. Then the trainer came on and Fredericks departed for 30 seconds. He didn't look convinced that he should return but came back on only to pull-up as the Borough player cut into the penalty area. The penalty then followed as Baird tried to cover the situation. Not sure that it was a lack of know-how but really unfortunate timing. Even if Fredericks had stayed off we probably wouldn't have had time to get a sub on immediately although maybe somebody else (Tunnicliffe) would have dropped back to cover. 

[MJG]

I have a bit of an issue with Fredericks. Clearly the lad gives us something down the right. But his overall fitness is woeful. 16 starts and 4 subs and he plays only 66 mins on average.

Hes never before started 5 games in a row and its shown at Leeds and while yesterday was an injury, hes going to have to work hard to get fitter if he wants a part of next season.

[GrahamG]

Agree MJG. Perhaps that is why Parker's immediate reaction seemed unsympathetic?

[filham]

I have a bit of an issue with Fredericks. Clearly the lad gives us something down the right. But his overall fitness is woeful. 16 starts and 4 subs and he plays only 66 mins on average.

Hes never started 5 games in a row and its shown at Leeds and while yesterday was an injury, hes going to have to work hard to get fitter if he wants a part of next season.

With his pace and danger to defences you have to ask why is he here, a few clubs have let him move on. The answer of course has to be his fitness.

[filham]

Yes we were handed a lesson yesterday, and we must learn these lessons quickly, if we are to stay away from the danger zone.

In these cases I prefer the word "gamesmanship" to professionalism

[GrahamG]

I think to talk about 'gamesmanship' or 'professionalism' is to totally mis-read both of the incidents yesterday. Their keeper got clattered and the only issue with Fredericks was that he returned to the pitch presumably to allow the management team to assess his fitness to carry on. During that time he proved that he wasn't and they scored. Just unfortunate.

[bill taylors apprentice]

I've never in my life heard the word "professionalism" used to mean that.

As someone says I think you're confused, you mean gamesmanship.

Although the last random, irrelevant paragraph rambling on about Stearman again... Not sure what that's called

I'm not confused!
Have you never heard of the "professional foul" or when a player takes his time to disrupt the opposition and a pundit comments on the "professionalism" of a player ? 

Of course your right a more accurate term would be "gamesmanship" but when do you ever hear that word used in football?

Maybe because the line between gamesmanship and cheating is a thin one and ex pro's and others making a good living out of the game hesitate to use that word.

Back to the point.
There's a naivety about  a lot of our players actions and the wing backs being out of position so early on for the first goal after the manager told everyone he wanted us to be compact and not allow any errors.

Then having been caught cold, we have a player down and nobody has the foresight to slow everything down and ensure our options are covered for the next few minutes and ensure nothing bad's going to happen until we resolve the injury situation.

Most teams we play appear to have a routine that kicks in at times like these regardless of the howling of the crowd to "get on with it"

These incidents are just another symptom of our lack of "professionalism" (of which gamesmanship is a part) that is running through the team and has done for too long.

I do believe Jokanovic will do his best to change this and some of these players will respond but too many behave on the pitch in a careless and unreliable way and wont change.

[Steven Ageroad]

I think there is another phrase you can throw into the mix "dark arts",  which was used a lot during the week to describe the antics of some of the Spanish players in the Champions League. In the Chelsea match report in a Sunday paper, they described them as "resorting to some of the darker arts to disrupt a slick and well-organised Southampton side".

[bill taylors apprentice]

I think there is another phrase you can throw into the mix "dark arts",  which was used a lot during the week to describe the antics of some of the Spanish players in the Champions League. In the Chelsea match report in a Sunday paper, they described them as "resorting to some of the darker arts to disrupt a slick and well-organised Southampton side".

I agree.
I don't like it, I don't want my team to do it BUT I don't want my team to be naive, unprofessional, call it what you will and lose out because we aren't cute enough to play them at there own game.

Having said that, I'm really talking about basic stuff here, the kind of stuff I learnt and became the norm learning from older players and coaches years ago in the old Rothmans Isthmian League. Yes I know the games changed  but the basics are the same.

[MikeW]

I always smile when I here comments about professional footballers having fitness issues.  There should be no issue with fitness at this time of the season; It's all they do all week for god's sake!

Injuries are different but fitness? No sorry.

[GrahamG]

MikeW - I used 'fitness' in terms of whether he was in a 'fit state' to continue - ie was his injury one he could run-off. Better? Obviously need to be very careful with wording!

[Carborundum]

To me Fredericks is a whole hearted type who put his body in considerably more jeopardy than any other player we have.  That might be naive and you won't see Scott Parker turning cartwheels in the air, but it is endearing.  Appreciate the way the tried to get going again after a fearful clattering.  This time it wasn't to be.

The trip that handed them a penalty was by Baird.  He was in the right place, but he did the wrong thing.

As for their goalie, well the benchmark I ask myself is, had that been me, how long might I have taken to get up.  Probably a fair bit longer.