Neeskens won't quit, blames players
Johan Neeskens on Monday said he would not resign his Mamelodi Sundowns job looked to shift the pressure off his shoulders and onto his players as the speculation around his future continued to mount.
The Dutch coach, in a long interview public published on Monday afternoon on the club’s website, said more commitment was needed on the field if Sundowns were to be a force this season.
He said: “I don’t quit because I’m not a quitter,” but also hinted that there was a lack of spirit in the squad, with players left out bickering on the sidelines.
“Everybody can be upset when they are not playing but the players who are starting should also stand up because I have given them my confidence to start a match.”
Neeskens looked to exonerate himself by saying coaches were unable to dictate matters on the pitch after they had complete pre-match preparation
“As coaches, we can prepare the team as much as possible before a game but the moment the players step onto the field of play, they also have to take some responsibility as well,” the website quoted him as paying
“In our last game I saw a lot of players in the team not going in with the necessary confidence. Maybe it’s because of the bad results of late, but we still need to show the commitment.
“I don’t expect the players to play brilliantly all of a sudden - that’s not what I ask but, all I want is the commitment, the desire as an individual and also as a team”
“Coming out of this situation can only be possible if everyone puts in the hard work, and I believe we will but we have to do it together. I know I’m responsible for everything but when we send players out there, they also have to take some responsibility, and they have to show that in the game as a team”
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On Sunday, Neeskens need police protection from fans after a 2-1 home defeat to Maritzburg and said he understood supporter frustration.
“It’s always good when supporters stand behind the players through thick and thin, especially when they are on the field because that gives them more confidence, instead of yelling at them whenever they make a mistake because no player goes onto the field to make mistakes on purpose,” he added
“When the players see that they have the confidence of their fans and they know that their fans are always standing behind them, the players’ attitude becomes different.
“Fans become upset, but it doesn’t just happen here in South Africa, it happens throughout the world. Getting rid of the coach doesn’t always help because we are together in this and we have to come together out of this, the supporters, the players and the coach.
“I truly believe we will come out of this and you can only do it when you believe,” the former Dutch World Cup star said.
