Brutally honest Alex Neil press conference in full as Stoke lose to Sheffield Wednesday
Stoke City were beaten by another late goal as they took on Sheffield Wednesday at the bet365 Stadium, falling to their fourth defeat in a row. The full-time whistle was met with a furious reaction as pressure grows on manager Alex Neil.[1] Here is Neil’s post-match press conference as he addressed the performance, result and mood in the home stands – with another home match in the diary against Swansea City[2] on Tuesday night.
A very disappointing result but the performance wasn’t right either? Alex Neil: I think so certainly in the first half. In first half, I thought we looked scared.
I thought we didn’t really want the ball. I think you can see that the pressure told. It was a really messy first half.
I don’t think they were great either, it was a really messy game. I thought the second half we started brighter, I thought we moved the ball better. I thought probably for about the first 35 minutes of the second half, we had four or five moments when we could win the game. Junho Bae[3] had two really good moments, we obviously had the penalty, which is the key moment, and it was just like it has been in the last few games – we didn’t take our opportunity then we somehow manage to throw the game away and lose it.
That’s just been a common thing far too often. When that happens there’s not much more for me to say. IN FULL: Stoke 0 Sheffield Wednesday 1 reaction[4]
RATINGS: Marks out of 10 for Stoke vs Sheffield Wednesday[5] It was another poor late goal to concede? It’s actually a goal kick for us and when the ball goes up, I don’t know if we actually head it that way or they head it that way, but either way it’s a basic bread and butter ball forward.
In the last three games, QPR, Plymouth and today, really some of the goals we’ve conceded are schoolboy goals. When we missed the penalty I was sure we’d get another chance and we actually get another chance after they score, the ball goes through for Andre (Vidigal),[6] who is normally really good about the edge of the box but it hits his knee and goes out. It just felt like one of the days when those moments we had to save ourselves and to get the win, we didn’t take, then we get undone by a horrific goal at the end of the match.
Timing of goals are always crucial, aren’t they, and at that point it was tough. That must be the most horrible place to be as a manager? When people describe it as a lonely place being a manager, that probably epitomised it today.
When you’re doing well and you’re winning games – and I’ve been fortunate enough to experience that in my career – everybody is with you, everybody’s part of it, everybody feels as if they’ve put something towards it getting to there. When it’s like that, and it has been like that in the last three matches, you’re on your own. That’s just the way it is.
You’re on your own. But that’s the job of a coach, that’s the job of manager. What I said to the players after the game is that it’s on me.
I’m going to take responsibility. I won’t shy away from that. Do you talk to John Coates about that?
He’s the man with you behind the scenes? Of course. John has been nothing but supportive to me since I’ve been here.
He’s one of the best owners in the game, hence the reason I came. I feel at the moment as if I’ve let John down. I’m not going to deny that and that’s probably the sorest thing for me.
I came here wanting to do really well, I left a really good job to come here, I believe in what we’re trying to do. But ultimately we haven’t won enough games recently. It shows you how quickly football can change, even in one match, never mind a set of games.
When I found out this morning that Jack Bonham wasn’t available and then we missed that penalty, it feels like things aren’t going our way just now. You need very thick skin and you said on Thursday you’ll die before you quit – do you still think like that when you’re stood on the sidelines at the end? There would be plenty of people who would think they’d had enough.
Never. The fact is that I’ve been through it on the other side. I’ve been there when you’re winning and getting promoted.
You can’t be a fair-weather manager and if it’s going well, take all the plaudits and the pats on the back and the minute it becomes difficult, shrink yourself in a corner and disappear. That’s just not in my nature, it’s not my character. The fact is that I’ve got difficult questions like you’re asking to answer and I’m trying to answer them as honestly and openly as I can.
I can assure everybody that I’m doing my best and utmost to try to make the right decisions. I feel at the moment that every decision I’m making seems as if it’s going the wrong way for me. But there are moments when you just need to get through and keep going and get ready for the next one.
I’ll be ready for the next game. That’s not even in question for me. You obviously believe you can turn it around?
Yes. Everything is salvageable. We’re not even at Christmas yet this season.
If anybody said that the last few games have been unacceptable, I can’t deny that. I’m not going to sit here and try to defend it. But I think if you look at each game on its individual merit, there have been opportunities for us to win those games and ultimately we haven’t done that and ultimately that will fall on my shoulders.
I won’t shy away from that responsibility and I’ll do my best to get us ready for the next game. And obviously I’ll speak to John. John’s the biggest fan of this club that you could find.
He loves the club and all he wants to see is his club do well.
What do you think?
Have your say in the comments section[7]
References
- ^ Alex Neil. (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Swansea City (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Junho Bae (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke 0 Sheffield Wednesday 1 reaction (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Marks out of 10 for Stoke vs Sheffield Wednesday (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Andre (Vidigal), (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ in the comments section (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)