Jones: Changing manager is not answer

Under-fire Dave Jones said making another managerial change at Hillsborough is not the answer after fans reacted angrily to a fifth successive defeat on Tuesday night.

Both team and manager were booed and jeered as we capitulated in the second-half against Watford, a defeat which means we have won just two of the last 16 league games.

However, a defiant Jones said afterwards: “Look at my record – I’ve never been in this situation before. We’re going through a very rough time. We’ve got to come out fighting and be strong and be brave.

“If people think somebody else will do a better job, go get him. And if he doesn’t do it, then what? Go and get someone else?

“How many managers has this club had in the last 10-15 years? Ten or more? Chopping and changing isn’t the right answer.”

The manager was critical of the side over Chris Lines’ first-half penalty miss, with the score at 1-1, blaming the players for allowing a team-mate just returning after injury to take the kick. And he said that, as well as the manager, some of his players were also deserving of criticism for the overall performance.

“We all have a responsibility. People can have a go at me, I’ll accept it – but I didn’t make a bad pass, I didn’t lose my man at a set-piece. I’ll stand there and fight for them, but they’ve got to give me something back.”

Responding to critical chants from the crowd when Jermaine Johnson replaced Lewis Buxton at right back, Jones revealed that Buxton had a hamstring injury and he had no other suitable replacement on the bench.

Anthony Gardner was also replaced at half-time after suffering a hamstring problem and we lost Rhys McCabe early in the second half with an ankle injury.

Leave a Reply