'Under-performing' squad is concern to United boss Knill
UNEQUIVOCAL Scunthorpe United manager Alan Knill will make sweeping changes to his squad during a summer of change.
After witnessing his side effectively relegated, following a 2-1 loss at home to Millwall yesterday, Knill delivered a cutting assessment of his team's deficiencies which cannot be rectified soon enough as thoughts turn to life in League One.
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IN NO DOUBT: Scunthorpe boss Alan Knill.
With a six-point gap to fourth bottom Crystal Palace, two games left and a hefty goal difference deficit to the detriment of United, the Iron will be playing in English football's third tier next season.
And in a frank and honest admission, Knill believes the current crop of stars are not good enough to take the club where he wants it to go.
"You can't go down and come back stronger with the same group that has just under-performed," insisted the Iron boss.
"Someone said it to me the other day, evolution not revolution.
"But you have to change and you have to move forward.
"All I ask every day is when people come to work they want to be better.
"There is no day off when they walk through the door.
"It is not a rest day, it is a work day, no different to you, me or anyone who has watched the game yesterday.
"I see that some of these players don't have that mentality – I saw it from day one and I saw it yesterday.
"If it is the talent first and then the hard work, you are struggling.
"But the thing that has surprised me more than anything is that Scunthorpe is all about fight, being the underdog and achieving.
"But you only do that by fighting, and then they have some talent after that. Throughout the season that hasn't been the case.
"It is easy when a new manager walks in to all of a sudden play a bit better and blame everybody else.
"But I think there is only one, you can only look in the mirror and blame yourself."
Expected to wield the axe in the coming months, Knill confessed he already knew who he wanted to keep before he arrived at Glanford Park.
"I knew the players I wanted before I walked through the door," he said. "I'd already seen the team play and knew the squad.
"Obviously the squad is lacking in a lot of areas and is in abundance in others, that can't be the way.
"We have got 17 (players) in contract so it can't be a major overhaul.
"But there has got to be some changes – this squad has under-performed not just now and again, (but) consistently.
"You have to have some fresh blood and some fresh impetus."
9 Comments
by Fred, Scunny
Tuesday, April 26 2011, 9:28PM
“THE VOLLEY KING,
Were you there when Dull City were bottom of the 4th division?
Were you there when Dull City were walking around Glanford Park with blankets to collect money from Scunny supporters?
No? because you probably started supporting them about 3 years ago when they fluked into the Premiership.
And its Adkins not Atkins - Stupid mudrat.”
by mike, Sheffield
Tuesday, April 26 2011, 8:44PM
“I think Alan Knill has had long enough time to sort this mess out.Even Laurel and Hardy would have kept up such a talented squad.Time for change a new more dynamic player manager is needed one who the current crop of players respect and acknowledge not one who's playing days were nearly 2 decades ago.I wish scunny well in league 1 i'm happy that Ak at least gave it a go despite leaving us in it and we still got promotion no hard feelings.A good manager always needs a good number 2 but with Chris Brass's experience of taking York City down i'm beginning to worry about this partnership.”
by 1500club, Lincs
Tuesday, April 26 2011, 4:40PM
“Why would that matter, 'anyoldIron'?
It's clear that it's not purely the manager who chooses the signings following the influx inbetween Baraclough leaving and Knill arriving.
Blaming anything on Adkins is ridiculous. We failed this season like our last relegation because we based the squad on loans that didnt work, as they weren't committed enough.
Th blame for this relegation lies at the door of the boardroom - possibly the worst NPC ever known and we bottled it then paniced the minute the fans boo'ed Baraclough...how about some honesty from the board on getting wrong with Baraclough? How about some transparency on the fees? The stand etc?
Oh well - I'll still be there every week, should be easier to exit the ground and less queues based on the amount of lost fans.
Up the Iron!”
by THE VOLLEY KING, WEMBLEY 2008
Tuesday, April 26 2011, 12:58PM
“alan knill you fool.should have stayed at bury,bigger club than scunny and nigel atkins leaving scunny was a good move,back where you belong really scunny,a matter of time before that other shambolic south bank club grimsby will be playing you in the conference,the future is on the north bank,with the east yorkshire egyptians.
we.ll meet again,dont know where,dont know when,but i know we,ll meet again,some sunny day,ALL TOGETHER NOW.”
by Any Old Iron, North Lincolnshire
Tuesday, April 26 2011, 12:54PM
“"If the board had backed Adkins, last summer" - perhaps they weren't prepared to back him because HE wanted to leave. Therefore restricting him to poor signings!”
by BucksIron, I hate you all
Tuesday, April 26 2011, 10:37AM
“I agree - it's those lazy lower league players who couldnt get a game at Huddersfield etc who are to blame...
I'm pleased that any blame has been passed onto the former managers, thus elevating the board from any of the 'usual online suspects' fireing line - let us not forget that without the board at SUFC the town wouldn't have a team to follow, what a fantastic job Mr Wharton, Mr Wagstaffe, Mr Garton and that other chap have done in this years relegation.
*ruffles the Daily Express*”
by Yorki, Zambia
Tuesday, April 26 2011, 10:26AM
“Agree with the new manager's ideals. Too many so called footballers - in all leagues - are just wasters and do not know what it is to do an honest days work. How can players hold their heads up when getting such a drumming about their work rate in a do or die match - they clearly do/did not care and so goodbye to them.”
by 1500club, Lincs
Tuesday, April 26 2011, 10:25AM
“If the board had backed Adkins, last summer, then he wouldn't have been scraping around the lower divisions with his begging bowl - LIKE OLIVER AAND HIS BOWL OF GRUEL.
The players who appear to have the talent but not the will are (generallly speaking) the loanees that the board paniced into signing in January.
The signings of Nunez, Williams etc with no manager in place showed who REALLY has the say in transfer deadings....had we kept Maccan, Williams, Sparrow and Hsayes last summer and replaced Hooper then we'd have stopped in this division....blaming Adkins and Baraclough is utter tosh - if they'd had the funds availabble to sign players, not loan them we would have a team with a bit motre fight.
Up the Iron - well done Iron, we await to hear the developments on the new stand.”
by ExPat Iron, Sunny Somerset
Tuesday, April 26 2011, 9:58AM
“Sounds like the man knows what he wants. 'Lack of fight' is what many of us have been complaining about all season. Yes 'ickle Scunny' will always be the underdog in The Championship but at least we had pride in the shirt & put up a fight ! Good luck to you Mr Knill.”