TonyK
CibbuanoPlayers still behind Wallace: Newman
April 20th 2009 02:21
RICHMOND captain Chris Newman says the players are still behind under siege coach Terry Wallace.
The Tigers are winless after the first four rounds of the home-and-away season in a year in which Wallace needs to get the club to the finals for the first time in his five-year reign if he is going to keep his job.
Newman admitted on Sunday night the disastrous eight-point loss to Melbourne was another dark day for the club but said the players still wanted Wallace as coach.
"We have been through some dark times, we haven't had a lot of success around the club and we have been in this position before but all we can do now is fight out of it and concentrate on next week," he said.
"Of course we are (behind him), he is our coach."
"He wanted us to come out here and put in a four-quarter effort and get the result for him and it's really gut-wrenching not to be able to do that."
Newman said the players deserved as much blame as Wallace for the club's poor start to the season.
"They always point the finger at the coach and I think that's unfair," Newman said.
"It's the players as well and I am captain of the club and it starts with me."
"I put my hand up and say it's not good enough and the players are certainly taking responsibility."
"Everyone is behind him (Wallace), I'm behind him and he doesn't deserve that (performance) and neither do the supporters."
"We have been playing inconsistent football and our last-ditch effort in the last quarter wasn't good enough but if we can do it in the last quarter then why can't we do it in the first."
Newman also said he believed the season was still retrievable.
"It's gut-wrenching, you always want to win and we are zip and four at the moment," he said.
"We know there are a lot of disappointed people out there and we feel the pressure and we understand our fans are disappointed but all we can do is stick together and fight our way out of it."
Meanwhile Wallace - who willl meet with president Gary March and general manager of football operations Craig Cameron later today - said on Sunday night he would not quit as coach.
"I wouldn't expect my players to do that (quit) and I would be a hypocrite if I turned around and did that because it's all too hard," he said.
The Tigers are winless after the first four rounds of the home-and-away season in a year in which Wallace needs to get the club to the finals for the first time in his five-year reign if he is going to keep his job.
Newman admitted on Sunday night the disastrous eight-point loss to Melbourne was another dark day for the club but said the players still wanted Wallace as coach.
"We have been through some dark times, we haven't had a lot of success around the club and we have been in this position before but all we can do now is fight out of it and concentrate on next week," he said.
"Of course we are (behind him), he is our coach."
"He wanted us to come out here and put in a four-quarter effort and get the result for him and it's really gut-wrenching not to be able to do that."
Newman said the players deserved as much blame as Wallace for the club's poor start to the season.
"They always point the finger at the coach and I think that's unfair," Newman said.
"It's the players as well and I am captain of the club and it starts with me."
"I put my hand up and say it's not good enough and the players are certainly taking responsibility."
"Everyone is behind him (Wallace), I'm behind him and he doesn't deserve that (performance) and neither do the supporters."
"We have been playing inconsistent football and our last-ditch effort in the last quarter wasn't good enough but if we can do it in the last quarter then why can't we do it in the first."
Newman also said he believed the season was still retrievable.
"It's gut-wrenching, you always want to win and we are zip and four at the moment," he said.
"We know there are a lot of disappointed people out there and we feel the pressure and we understand our fans are disappointed but all we can do is stick together and fight our way out of it."
Meanwhile Wallace - who willl meet with president Gary March and general manager of football operations Craig Cameron later today - said on Sunday night he would not quit as coach.
"I wouldn't expect my players to do that (quit) and I would be a hypocrite if I turned around and did that because it's all too hard," he said.
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