SMITHIES BLAMES PLAYERS & FULLY BACKS NEIL HARRIS
Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:29 pm
'We have to be accountable' - Cardiff City star points finger at players as he backs under-fire Neil Harris
The manager had come under pressure following a string of below-par results but the Bluebirds goalkeeper believes more onus should fall on the players to take responsibility
Alex Smithies has said Cardiff City players must take share of responsibility for poor start to the season
Alex Smithies believes that talk of Neil Harris fighting for his job is premature and believes the players must do more to take ownership of individual errors this season.
By Glen Williams
Monday 30th November 2020
Ahead of the clash against Luton Town last weekend, the Bluebirds sat in 18th position following a string of below-part results.
Cardiff's situation led to Harris last week saying that he felt he was fighting for his job heading into the Hatters fixture, having held talks with Vincent Tan following the 1-0 defeat by Coventry last week.
But Harris' players came out fighting on the weekend, as Sheyi Ojo put it, and turned on the style just when he needed it most in a 4-0 drubbing of Nathan Jones' side.
The result and the manner in which they did it certainly eased the pressure which had mounted on the manager, but Smithies believes calls for the axe, following what he did last season in reaching the play-offs, are far too premature.
In fact, Smithies, who was responsible for Millwall's goal 10 days ago, went one further and said that the players, not solely the manager, should be accountable for the dip in form at the start of this campaign.
"Definitely," Smithies said when asked if speculation surround Harris' departure was too soon. "The whole changing room backs the manager.
"Ultimately it's the players who go out on the pitch and gets the results so it's us who should be held accountable, in my opinion.
"All over the pitch we could have done more to get more points on the board and we just need to knuckle down start racking those points up.
"It means a lot to all of us, the manager included, and we wanted to get the result [against Luton].
"The players are right behind the manager and we really wanted to repay his faith in us and get three points."
For the most part this season, Cardiff have conceded the first goal, leaving them with a mountain to climb while opposition teams sit back deep and defend for their lives.
The Bluebirds have been the architects of their own downfall on many occasions, with a number of sloppy errors belying an otherwise solid-looking defence.
After Smithies' error against Millwall, Harris said the goalkeeper apologised to his team-mates in the dressing room afterwards. And that culture of collective responsibility, Smithies says, is vitally important when these mistakes crop up.
"No one makes a mistake on purpose, but once you have, you know you've let your team-mates down," Smithies added.
"That's hard to take as a player. We can all take criticism from outside but letting your team-mates down hurts the most.
"You have to be accountable and you have to take that responsibility when you go out on to the pitch that things might happen that you're not prepared for and you have to deal with them.
"You have to move on quickly and make things right and you can only do that with your attitude and by being responsible and owning it."
When the same question was put to Harris about talk surrounding his position as City boss, he said he understands why pressure, especially in this modern society, mounts so quickly.
But while Saturday's result is certainly a step in the right direction, the manager knows there is a long way to go before his team occupy a position further north in the table than where they currently find themselves.
"I can’t control that," the manager said of the speculation. "That’s the society we live in. That’s the world of football. I accept that as a manager.
"I was honest, results have not been good enough. We have not climbed up the mountain and come out the other side just because we beat Luton 4-0. It’s finding that consistency.
"We need to win games of football because we are not where we want to be and we have still got a long way to go.
"The group takes the praise from Saturday, but that’s all it is, from Saturday. Saturday has now gone, it’s Monday and we are preparing for Tuesday. Tuesday night is all that matters now.
"We have to put the same standards, level of professionalism, need to show the ability with and without the ball which we showed on the weekend.
"That’s the standards I expect from my team at Cardiff City every game."
The manager had come under pressure following a string of below-par results but the Bluebirds goalkeeper believes more onus should fall on the players to take responsibility
Alex Smithies has said Cardiff City players must take share of responsibility for poor start to the season
Alex Smithies believes that talk of Neil Harris fighting for his job is premature and believes the players must do more to take ownership of individual errors this season.
By Glen Williams
Monday 30th November 2020
Ahead of the clash against Luton Town last weekend, the Bluebirds sat in 18th position following a string of below-part results.
Cardiff's situation led to Harris last week saying that he felt he was fighting for his job heading into the Hatters fixture, having held talks with Vincent Tan following the 1-0 defeat by Coventry last week.
But Harris' players came out fighting on the weekend, as Sheyi Ojo put it, and turned on the style just when he needed it most in a 4-0 drubbing of Nathan Jones' side.
The result and the manner in which they did it certainly eased the pressure which had mounted on the manager, but Smithies believes calls for the axe, following what he did last season in reaching the play-offs, are far too premature.
In fact, Smithies, who was responsible for Millwall's goal 10 days ago, went one further and said that the players, not solely the manager, should be accountable for the dip in form at the start of this campaign.
"Definitely," Smithies said when asked if speculation surround Harris' departure was too soon. "The whole changing room backs the manager.
"Ultimately it's the players who go out on the pitch and gets the results so it's us who should be held accountable, in my opinion.
"All over the pitch we could have done more to get more points on the board and we just need to knuckle down start racking those points up.
"It means a lot to all of us, the manager included, and we wanted to get the result [against Luton].
"The players are right behind the manager and we really wanted to repay his faith in us and get three points."
For the most part this season, Cardiff have conceded the first goal, leaving them with a mountain to climb while opposition teams sit back deep and defend for their lives.
The Bluebirds have been the architects of their own downfall on many occasions, with a number of sloppy errors belying an otherwise solid-looking defence.
After Smithies' error against Millwall, Harris said the goalkeeper apologised to his team-mates in the dressing room afterwards. And that culture of collective responsibility, Smithies says, is vitally important when these mistakes crop up.
"No one makes a mistake on purpose, but once you have, you know you've let your team-mates down," Smithies added.
"That's hard to take as a player. We can all take criticism from outside but letting your team-mates down hurts the most.
"You have to be accountable and you have to take that responsibility when you go out on to the pitch that things might happen that you're not prepared for and you have to deal with them.
"You have to move on quickly and make things right and you can only do that with your attitude and by being responsible and owning it."
When the same question was put to Harris about talk surrounding his position as City boss, he said he understands why pressure, especially in this modern society, mounts so quickly.
But while Saturday's result is certainly a step in the right direction, the manager knows there is a long way to go before his team occupy a position further north in the table than where they currently find themselves.
"I can’t control that," the manager said of the speculation. "That’s the society we live in. That’s the world of football. I accept that as a manager.
"I was honest, results have not been good enough. We have not climbed up the mountain and come out the other side just because we beat Luton 4-0. It’s finding that consistency.
"We need to win games of football because we are not where we want to be and we have still got a long way to go.
"The group takes the praise from Saturday, but that’s all it is, from Saturday. Saturday has now gone, it’s Monday and we are preparing for Tuesday. Tuesday night is all that matters now.
"We have to put the same standards, level of professionalism, need to show the ability with and without the ball which we showed on the weekend.
"That’s the standards I expect from my team at Cardiff City every game."
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Re: SMITHIES BLAMES PLAYERS & FULLY BACKS NEIL HARRIS
Mon Nov 30, 2020 9:18 pm
Same again on Tuesday please city go at it from the start, BLOOBIRDS
Re: SMITHIES BLAMES PLAYERS & FULLY BACKS NEIL HARRIS
Mon Nov 30, 2020 11:53 pm
A good,and honest assessment from Smithies, I have said as much a few times recently, yes the buck stops with the manager, but the players also needed to step up,they did for Luton, Huddersfield will be a different kettle of fish,we have to go for them in the same manner,with the same formation,and players. 
