The blame for the current mentality in the squad has to sit with the Riddler and, to some extent, RL.
The situation with so many players being out of contract at the end of the season is absolutely ridiculous. How motivated are you going to be if you know you might not even be here in eight months? It's a recipe for apathy.
These players, like most footballers, are spoilt and entitled. They’re earning money most of us can only dream of, and yet they don’t seem driven to work hard for it. If the rest of us were told we’d be out of work in eight months unless we stepped up, we’d graft like our lives depended on it. But footballers? Even at our level, they give off the impression that they’ll be fine no matter what—they’ll land on their feet, earn decent money, and not have to put in the effort.
RL deserves some blame alongside the Riddler because they’ve both made it clear they don’t want kn******** at the club. What does that really mean? They want nice lads—easygoing players who won’t rock the boat, who’ll nod along and agree with every decision. That’s all well and good, but what we actually need is winners. Players with fire in their bellies, who will do whatever it takes to win. Players like Roy Keane, who treated the pitch like a battleground, who hated losing so much they’d call out their teammates and even the management if standards weren’t met.
Who in this squad bleeds for the badge? Maybe Brady, Ledson, or McCann at a push. Beyond that? I don’t see anyone who lives for the game, the team, or the sheer desire to win. The rest of them? They just give off this vibe of "oh well, that’s annoying" when things don’t go their way.
There’s no one out there on the pitch demanding high standards, holding their teammates accountable, or showing real passion. You don’t need a squad full of “nice lads.” You need players who push others, even if it makes them unpopular in the dressing room. Winners demand more and more because they know that’s what it takes to succeed.
Right now, the lack of passion is obvious. The players are soft, and that’s reflected in the atmosphere at the stadium. If they showed some fire, the fans would match it—but as things stand, we're as uninspiring as their performances.
