Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper has said he wanted to retain his integrity as he was quizzed about comments from prospective owner Matt Uggla.
Following the 1-0 defeat to Dorking Wanderers on Easter Monday, he made a series of comments on his Twitter account claiming he had backed the manager in the transfer market after Cooper claimed a decision not to sign striker Frank Nouble had damaged any hopes of surviving in the National League.
The posts have now been deleted, but Cooper said on Thursday that he was contacted by a number of players who had read the posts.
Speaking about the incident ahead of Saturday’s trip to Solihull Moors, the manager said: “For me it is about trying to be as professional as I can be in really difficult circumstances and trying to be there for the players and prepare them as best as I can for the last few games.
“There was a period not so long ago when we played really well against Eastleigh when everything was rosy and since then it has been downhill for one reason or another.
“I want to try and retain my integrity and be professional and, if I’m not, then I lose the respect of the players and I think it is important that I am there for them and they know I have got their back.
“We can’t change what has happened, it is done. It’s been a challenging few weeks for everybody, and we have to go in to these next four games and give it all we’ve got.”
On Nouble, who has since joined relegation rivals Torquay United, he reiterated that he wanted the former Colchester United striker to come to Huish Park, adding: “Frank was on his way here but somewhere along the line it didn’t happen, I would have loved Frank here, but we can’t change that, that’s gone.”
Cooper now takes his side to Solihull Moors on Saturday sat third from bottom of the table, six points adrift of safety, knowing that relegation to National League South is now just a matter of time.
And, just in case the task was not any harder, they then travel to top-of-the-table Wrexham on Tuesday night when the big-spending Welshmen could clinch promotion back to the Football League.
Asked about the task, the manager added: “If we won on Saturday, the picture could change and, of course, we have an unbelievably difficult game on the Tuesday where Wrexham can probably win the title and be promoted, so we will be there to see the champions led in – but this is football, you never know. We have to be professional right to the very end.
“I gave the players a couple of days off to try and clear their heads, they’re not going to get any fitter, it’s about clear heads and getting focused now. There’s been a lot of emotion, chaos behind the scenes, but we have to rise above it all.
“Our performances have not been bad, from our goal to the edge of their box, we have been fine, we just have to be a bit more of a threat inside the penalty box.”
Speaking about an interview given by on loan striker Reo Griffiths – which you can read here – Cooper responded to claims that the Doncaster Rovers player was ready to score goals.
He said: “Talk’s cheap, it’s actions I need to see and that is not just on the pitch, that is during the week as well. If there is somebody in that squad that I see is going to score goals to give the team a lift, I am not going to cut my nose off to spite my face.”
Cooper also spoke about the performance on Easter Monday of referee Elliott Swallow who he described as “horrendous” after sending off defender Chiori Johnson.
The boss also pointed to a penalty appeal from striker Malachi Linton, saying: “It’s a clear red card when you see it back, I can’t see how you can’t get that right.”
He also revealed that he sent a video nasty of the 1-1 draw at FC Halifax Town last month in to the Professional Game Match Officials League (PGMOL).
The boss said: “There were some incredible decisions – there were two penalty shouts in there and a horrendous tackle on Edwin Agbaje that broke his leg, and the feedback I got was that the referee was correct in all their decisions.
“Until that changes, there is no point me doing a report for a referee or ringing up an assessor because they are just going to back the referee. So until that changes, we are wasting our time.”
Sadly, Mark, the Gloverscast’s Rule #1 agrees with everything you say. For reference, Rule #1: All National League referees are useless, there’s no point wasting your breath on them.
‘Our performances have not been bad’? Deluded! Relegation isn’t down to not managing to sign one striker. It’s about being one of the 4 worst teams in the league for the whole season. It’s been like watching somebody shake a different set of dice each match, hoping to throw a 7. Week after week of poor performances. Players not being good enough. Poor tactics. The worst football I’ve seen us play in over 30 years (and the ISIS League was dire).
not convinced that Mark Cooper can save us, he needs to go, but Yeovil owners always leave it far to late to save us, should have got rid of him when we started to lose so many games, now we are in dire and who the hell will save us from relegation, answer me that… Get rid of him now not later… I think the players are not happy with him