Henderson critical of Cobh’s second-half display
AIRTRICITY FIRST DIVISION
By Daire Walsh
FOLLOWING their 3-1 defeat to UCD in the SSE Airtricity League First Division yesterday evening, Cobh Ramblers manager Stephen Henderson was highly critical of the second-half performance that his side delivered.
The Leesiders were on level terms with UCD at the midway point in the contest, but he felt there was too much of a disruptive influence in the team after the break.
“I thought in the first-half we looked the most threatening side. I thought we did well. We looked the better team. Second-half we fell apart,” Henderson stated. “Excuse my language, it was f***ing disgraceful the way we fell apart. We have young players, and what we’re trying to achieve here is put a team on the pitch.
“At the moment, we have part of a team, and then we have a few elements of individuals that make it about themselves, and that disrupts the rest of the team. That is what’s happened now the last three matches, and we’ve got punished in the last three matches.”
Henderson revealed that he has been frustrated by players making the same mistakes too often, but rather than passing the buck, he is willing to take his own share of responsibility for the way his side have performed in recent weeks.
“We’ll give everybody chances, provided they learn from their mistakes. What some certain people are showing is that they’re not learning. They continue to do the same things, and we’re getting the same results because of it. But then, I’m guilty of that as well.
“Because I’m the one that keeps giving them the chance, so I have to look at that now. I’ll take my own share of responsibility. I’m not passing the buck by any stretch of the imagination, but stuff has to improve and fairly quickly.”
With an FAI Cup tie against Cherry Orchard preceding league clashes with Waterford United and Cabinteely, this could prove to be a pivotal period in the season for Henderson’s squad, and he confirmed that their injuries are beginning to clear up.
“I think we’ve eight or nine players still on the injured list. Some of them are starting to come back, but there’s clearly a need to get some of these lads back and freshen up that team,” Henderson added.