Walk the walk!
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Ballymena United manager Roy Walker will soon be growing tired of giving the same post-match interviews to the media.
With each passing week comes another defeat and the new boss having to explain more 'silly mistakes'.
Speaking to Guardian Sport he said the players need to 'galvanise on the pitch' to 'spur them into action'.
A daunting fixture list will provide them with that opportunity - Saturday's derby in Coleraine is followed by a successive home ties against the big two - Linfield and Glentoran.
Add to that last week's CIS Cup draw which pits them against the Glens yet again in late October.
Against Bangor on Saturday the Sky Blues slumped to their seventh league loss of the season and Walker was again talking about individual errors.
“I am disappointed obviously," he said.
“We continue to make silly mistakes and they are costing us games. If we stop making silly mistakes we won't lose games," he said.
The Braidmen remain rooted to the foot of the JJB Sports Premiership without a win all season and only two draws to show for their efforts.
There were positive signs in the second half, before and after Liam Mullan equalised. But Walker says they have flattered to deceive in the past.
“There are always moments in games when you think we are on the up but there is always something to negate that. It is down to individuals," he said.
Although confidence levels are low after a fifth straight Showgrounds defeat, Walker wasn't ready to use that as an excuse.
“Confidence levels go down, but you can make excuses about confidence. It is pretty obvious that if people won't do the job they are asked to do you have stop and ask 'why are they not?'."
It doesn't get any easier for the Sky Blues who travel to Coleraine on Saturday for the local derby. The boss sees it as an chance to turn things around and give the fans something to cheer about.
“Every game is an opportunity," he said. "The players can't complain, the fans have been right behind them, their support has always been there, they have stayed faithful.
“If you can't go into a local derby and give them something to shout about there is something wrong," he added.
He said the players need to 'galvanise on the pitch' to spur themselves into 'some sort of positive action'.
“It doesn't matter who the opposition is if we don't do our jobs," he said.
“If you stand off a bad player you will give him a chance, if you stand off a good player he will hurt you."
On a positive note players have now been owning up to their mistakes, which Walker says is the first step to putting them right.
“We haven't really been holding our hands up and saying 'that was my mistake', but now we are starting to do that and that is a good thing," he said.
Turning to the CIS Cup draw, Walker was again positive about the prospect of facing Glentoran for a third time this season.
The Braidmen have shipped ten goals against the Belfast side in their previous two encounters, in the County Antrim Shield and the Premiership.
“It gives us an opportunity to beat them. It gives us an opportunity to see if we can close some sort of gap," he said.
Walker did see signs of improvement in the second half of the league encounter on September 23.
“The last effort in the last half showed how we can play - more of that is required. We need a feisty attitude and self-discipline," he said.
He admitted that the Glens are a difficult prospect but says that doesn't matter at this stage.
“It is a tough draw, but it wouldn't matter who we got. We have got to get back to playing football, we have got to be expressive when we have the ball and mean when we don't," he said.
Although some players have already been drafted in from Alfie Stewart's Reserve side, Walker explained more additions may not be necessary.
“Sadly some of the players who are doing well (in the Reserves) are not in the positions where we are not doing well," he said.
Ballymena United Reserves play Glentoran Reserves tonight (Tuesday, September 30) in the first round of the George Wilson Cup. Kick-off at the Showgrounds is 7.45pm.
The Seven Towers Ballymena United Supporters Club coach to Coleraine this Saturday (October 4) leaves at 2pm from Henry Street car park.
