Jones snaps back at his critics

Last updated : 02 January 2010 By Michael Morris
Jones has taken some stick for the the Peterborough disaster and feels overall he's doing a good job and one or two results going the wrong way is not the be all and end all of the season.

"We're fourth from top, not fourth from bottom," he said.

"The only thing I can say is I'm glad I'm not fourth from bottom in this part of the world!

"I've not been there, but I'd hate it, people have to take a reality check sometimes.

"The only way to amend what happened at Peterborough is to stay in the top six.

"I'm a good manager - fourth in the league - and work hard at what I do.

"Some people want change because of embarrassment, but if they want to know about embarrassment they should have their picture blasted all over the papers for 18 months.

"I've been through that and if these people did so too then they could tell me what embarrassment is all about.

"I could not do anything about that, but I can do something about what happened at Peterborough.

"I trust my players, I believe in them and now it's time to move on.

"We're fourth and, if you said to people at the start of the season that this is we're going to be at this moment with a game in hand, then they would have taken it."

It must have riled Jones for him to bring up the events of a few years ago when he was falsely accused of terrible crimes.

He can be quite sensitive when it comes to criticism. It's not just because of one game though. The way the last campaign ended was a horror show and matches like that at Peterborough and a previous game at Plymouth when a three goal lead was lost means that fans are edgy about Jones' ability to deliver the club a top 6 place and ultimately promotion.

The club is in the best shape since I started supporting 36 years ago but still Jones has his detractors. His attitude / demeanour contributes to that, he doesn't generate the same affection that say a manager like Eddie May or Frank Burrows did. Maybe an apology when things go wrong rather than just blaming his players and everyone else. He'll take the plaudits when it goes right, he should apologise when it goes wrong and not just leave it to the players.

Consistent top half finishes in the Championship, an FA Cup Final appearance, a new stadium to watch the best players we've seen in generations but it's never quite enough. Are we impatient as fans? Probably, but I think we are will to give something time if we can see progress. The play offs is the very least Jones needs to deliver this season. If he fails again then I think he'll have a few more fans giving him grief.

Bookmark and Share