Darren Sarll (Page 5)

By:
On:
In: Uncategorized, Latest Yeovil Town News

Darren Sarll said Yeovil Town may have to change their system to accommodate a players who are feeling the strain of playing so many matches.

The Glovers’ boss said he would assess the situation following the 2-1 defeat at the hands of Gary Johnson’s Torquay United at Huish Park on Sunday.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

He told BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins: “We are maybe going in to another period where we have to change. We definitely have a group of players that are putting so much effort in and maybe they are at their ceiling, they might need a bit of a break.

“We might need to change that system to get that freshness with the players that can come in, but we have to make sure we are hard to beat.”

The boss said the loss was a poor last 15 minutes when goals from Connor Lemonheigh-Evans direct from a corner and a late winner from substitute Dan Holman saw the visitors complete the double over Yeovil.

Sarll described defending for the second goal as “absolute crap” and pointed to errors from midfielder Dale Gorman and debutant on-loan goalkeeper Dillon Barnes for the first goal.

He pointed to having to shuffle his defensive unit to accommodate for suspended goalkeeper Grant Smith and right-back Dan Moss and the late loss of captain Luke Wilkinson, who was missing having a COVID-19 test.

Morgan Williams moved from left-back to right back and on-loan Middlesbrough defender Jack Robinson returned for his first game in two months on the left side with Josh Staunton dropping in to the centre of defence alongside Max Hunt, the only constant from the 3-0 defeat at Torquay on Boxing Day.

The manager said: “We go back to where we were last season, making four changes in the five defensive positions, even if it is Williams to right back and Robinson at left back.

“There are players out there who looked tired because they are having to play a lot of games for the first time in their careers for some of them – (Charlie) Wakefield, (Tom) Knowles, players like that.

“Then there were a little band of players who, having come back from injury, they suffered with fatigue.

“But the last 15 minutes was poor and we are going to have to address that, the last half-an-hour last Sunday and we blamed poor old Sonny (Blu Lo-Everton, who was sent off on Boxing Day), but today all we can do is blame ourselves.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News
Luke Wilkinson.

Yeovil Town captain Luke Wilkinson missed the 2-1 defeat against Torquay United to get a COVID-19 test, manager Darren Sarll has confirmed.

The defender was the surprise omission from the loss with Josh Staunton slotting in alongside Max Hunt in the back line and taking the armband for the local derby.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the game, Sarll said: “We missed Wilkinson. Josh is a huge influence wherever he plays. Wilkinson had a sore throat, Lateral Flow Test later, he got to the ground, did his test in the car and then had to shoot off for a PCR test.

“So we change things very late but we did that (in the 2-0 win away) at Wrexham and we defended (there) a lot better than we did today.”

If Wilkinson’s PCR test does come back positive for COVID-19, he may have to self-isolate for 10 days from the days he first exhibited symptoms.

However (are you sitting comfortably?!), if his PCR test were to come back positive, he would need to do a Lateral Flow Test on Day 6 and Day 7 of his isolation period (next weekend) and, if both results came back negative, he would be clear to return to society next Sunday.

Assuming the symptoms began today (January 2), that means a positive PCR test will definitely rule him out of next weekend’s FA Cup third round tie with AFC Bournemouth and, if Day 6 and Day 7’s tests don’t go well, also the visit to Southend United in the National League the following Tuesday, January 11.

However, if the PCR comes back negative, then he’s available to face the Cherries – and these past four paragraphs have been a waste of everyone’s time! Simple, right?!

By:
On:
In: Gloversblog, Latest Yeovil Town News
Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Happy New Year!

We roll into 2022 with an exciting game tomorrow against Torquay United and the chance to redeem ourselves after Boxing Day disappointment. 

Yesterday at Darren Sarll‘s pre-match press conference he spoke about a number of topics, including contracts, loanees, Sonny Blu’s overturned suspension and more. He also talked about covid and the impact it’s having on football.

I don’t know about you, but I have found it deeply frustrating to hear managers at the top of the game complaining about lack of players, squad depth and the like. For me, it’s a perfect example of how out of touch the top division in this country is with the the rest of football. It’s difficult to have sympathy with the likes of Tuchel, Klopp and Rangnick when they’re organisations who have had hundreds of millions of pounds (and in Chelsea’s case, more than £1bn) pumped into them over years and access to the best young talent across the globe. My heart bleeds for these teams who need more players and need to make five substitutions. We’ve been happy to name five subs this season.

Darren Sarll talked about his frustration with the top of the game and the attitude it’s showing to youth development and their academy systems in this time of need.

He said: “I find it quite frustrating when I listen to Premier League managers because I have been a Premier League academy manager and I have sat in a meeting with the other 19 Premier League clubs.

The millions that goes in to youth development at Premier League level and they are moaning about not having any players – what is the point of having an under-23 team?

If players are in the under-23s and they are not ready, why are they in the under-23s? We have some top coaches in this country, why are they not using the youth teams?”

Sarll is, of course, no stranger to youth development at the top of the pyramid, having been Watford’s Academy Manager in 2018/19. He talked about his experience of the finances, and the disparity of finances with the the bigger sides and their peers.

“The biggest budget I have ever had was when I was academy manager at Watford, it wasn’t massive and in comparison to top Premier League sides [about] 5% of what the top clubs spend on youth development. I’m talking about PL academies having bigger budgets than clubs in the top end of the Championship. But if they are spending multiple millions of pounds a year, why aren’t they ready? If I’m the Chief Executive (of a Premier League team) and my manager is not using young players, I would be asking a question – why aren’t those young players ready?”

Sometimes, the top of football feels so detached from the rest of the pyramid. When they have an embarrassment of riches and complain about a lack of personnel when you’re struggling to scrape together a squad regardless of COVID, it makes it even more detached.

I thought the manager summed it up quite nicely with this: “COVID does not exempt any team from having COVID, so the integrity of the game is consistent because everyone can get COVID.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll has backed his goalkeeper Grant Smith for criticising referee Scott Jackson‘s decision to red card Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in the Boxing Day defeat at Torquay United.

Darren Sarll
Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz,.

The dismissal after 64 minutes at Plainmoor has been overturned following an appeal meaning the on-loan Watford forward will be available for Sunday’s rematch with Gary Johnson’s side on Sunday.

But, Smith, who also saw red for “foul and abusive language” after the final whistle, is banned for the Gulls’ game and the FA Cup third round tie with AFC Bournemouth with Sarll looking to bring in a loan keeper for both matches.

Speaking to the press on Thursday, the manager said: “I don’t put too much blame on the referee, he went with his assistant he used his team in the same way I use Terry (Skiverton, assistant manager) when I am making decisions.

“He used his team and got it horrendously wrong and it cost us three points. The biggest disappointment I have with that is when you look at the subsequent dismissal of Grant Smith, he is probably right.

“If players perform badly in my dressing room they get told, all Grant Smith did was tell (the referee) he did not perform very well.

“Unfortunately because of the ego-centric behaviour, we lose a really important player in Grant Smith.”

Listeners of the Gloverscast podcast were the first to hear the news that Lo-Everton’s appeal had been successful – well, after followers of our Twitter and Facebook channels, of course. Having the only person in Britain who can make the FA’s website work (in Ben Barrett) paid dividends there.

The boss admitted the dismissal of Lo-Everton for dangling a foot at Torquay’s Tom Lapslie was petulant from the 19-year-old.

He said: “My disappointment was that Sonny was pivotal to our improvement in the opening stages of the second half and when he gave the referee a decision.

“It was petulance, people are like that in your 30s, it’s an emotional decision, nothing to do with your age. “

In other news at this week’s press conference, the manager said…..

  • His decision to look to bring a keeper in on loan for the next two fixtures was not a reflection on the ability of his back-up keeper Max Evans.
    The manager said he was speaking with Premier League, Championship and League One clubs about getting in a stand-in stopper during Grant Smith’s absence.
    Of Evans, he said: “You can do more harm than good with these young players when they are thrown in at thew wrong time.
    “We had a plan for Max this year and we will stick to that plan, so we will look to add to the team with the loan market.
    “That is no disrespect to Max, the plan for Max was to try and build him through a certain type of game and a certain type of experience.”
    Following our Gloversblog post weighing up the two options, supporters on our Twitter channel voted 73% in favour of giving Evans the gloves on Sunday.
  • Injury victims defender Mark Little and striker Joe Quigley could both be back involved in for the weekend – and if they’re not, they’re certain to be involved in next weekend’s FA Cup tie with AFC Bournemouth.
    Joe Quigley, who is top-scorer with six goals so far this season.
    Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

    The manager said Quigley had only trained for “three or four days” but was looking “surprisingly strong” considering, and said Little was “very close” having picked up an injury in pre-season.
    Sarll said: “That latest I would see Mark being involved is the FA Cup, so he could involved Sunday and Joe could be as well.
    “Joe has had less time training but he’s been very strong, he looks like he’s in a race to get back.”

By:
On:
In: Uncategorized, Latest Yeovil Town News

Darren Sarll is hoping he can keep two of his three loanees – defenders Dan Moss and Jack Robinson and forward Sonny Blu Lo-Everton – for longer stays at Huish Parl

But, the Yeovil Town boss does not believe he will be able to keep hold of all three whose current deals are all up for renewal in January.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s home game with Torquay United, the manager said: “I don’t think we will keep them all, but I think we will keep the majority.

“When we look at the long-term loans – Sonny, Jack Robinson and Mossy – if we keep two out of three, I’ll be delighted.

“I think they have done too well (to not be noticed by other clubs) and when they do that they want to jump up and play higher.”

He added: “Financially we have nicked these lads we have given them an opportunity to create a profile and they have done a brilliant job.

“I would love them to stay but we are in the lap of the Gods. I would like to not do anything in January and just keep everyone, but it doesn’t work like that!”

Robinson’s loan from Championship Middlesbrough is due to expire on January 10 with Sonny’s from Watford running out on January 16, and finally Dan Moss’ stay from Millwall on January 24.

The “Gods” which Sarll refers too could well mean the COVID situation at their parent clubs with Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder admitting he has lost nine first-team players in a 48-hour period – seven of which would have started tomorrow against Sheffield United.

Late on Friday, the match with one of Wilder’s former club was postponed with Boro saying it was in “an impossible situation regarding available players.”

Ahead of that decision, Wilder said that the EFL had told him to “do whatever is needed to get the game on” including bring back loan players.

Jack Robinson in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Wilder name-checked former Glovers’ loanee Lewis Wing at Sheffield Wednesday and “a young boy at Kilmarnock” – which could be goalkeeper Zach Hemming or striker Rumarn Burrell – but there was no specific reference to Robinson, who was with the Yeovil squad for the defeat at Torquay on Boxing Day.

Robinson had played once for his parent club this season in a 3-0 EFL Cup defeat at Blackpool but was awarded a new contract in the summer.

The 20-year-old has not featured since picking up an ankle injury in the 5-0 FA Cup fourth qualifying round win at Yate Town at the start of number, but has played eight times since joining on the eve of the new season.

As far as Dan Moss and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton are concerned, Millwall played their game on Wednesday with just 15 players due to COVID issues, whilst Watford postponed their Boxing Day match with Wolves before going ahead with the home game against West Ham on December 29.

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Darren Sarll spoke to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins regarding the two red cards (and five yellows) picked up by the Glovers during their 3-0 loss to Torquay United on Boxing Day.

In a feisty affair, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton was sent off after 64 minutes, goalkeeper Grant Smith saw red after the final whistle and Adi Yussuf, Matt Worthington, Dale Gorman, Luke Wilkinson and Dan Moss all saw yellow.

This is what the manager had to say on the three players who will be missing as a result of today’s indiscretions.

Sonny Blu-Lo Everton – red card – 64th minute.

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

“I thought it was petulant, that’s how I saw it, I have no idea what players think they’re ever gaining from those actions, I’ll have to see it again, but at the time it looked petulant. I don’t understand what they get out of it, the team don’t get anything out of it… listen, Sonny doesn’t help us stop those three goals, what Sonny was doing during the game very, very well was stay on the ball for long periods and get far more territory.

“So very disappointing, we’re disappointed in that type of behaviour, but we will keep those thoughts and comments in house.”

If confirmed as ‘Violent Conduct’ the Watford loanee would miss three games; Torquay, Bournemouth (FA Cup) and Southend before being available for the FA Trophy game with Needham Market Town on January 15th, one day before his initial loan spell from Watford is due to elapse.

Grant Smith – red card – after full-time

New Glovers’ ‘keeper Grant Smith

“I don’t know what happened with Grant (Smith), I can make an assumption that he has said something to the referee after the game. If he has and that is the reason why, then I don’t condone that, I’m all for tackling, competing, I’m not great defending players for dissent, if it’s dissent, but we’ll find out.”

If confirmed as being for ‘Foul and Abusive Language’, the Glovers’ number one would be subject to a two-game ban which would rule him out of the games vs Torquay next Sunday and Bournemouth in the FA Cup. Subject to an appeal process.

 

Dan Moss – fifth yellow card of the season – 75th minute.

Dan Moss. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

“Mossy is always going to get five bookings in his season, he tackles more than anyone, that’s a tackle, that’s what he does, that’s why we play him, because he puts in those tackles.”

“That’s part of the season of having Dan Moss, the other stuff, the two sendings off, if they are for what I think they are, we will deal with that internally.”

It is expected that the Millwall loanee will only be absent for the game against Torquay, his loan was recently extended until January 24th which would give him four more games after his suspension whilst with the side.

 

As a side note, Jack Robinson, the loanee from Middlesbrough was seen with the side today after being out of contention with injury since the win over Yate Town. Alex Bradley missed out on the squad together as did youth team graduate Ollie Haste whilst the Gloverscast have asked Hemel Hempstead Town for clarification on the situation with midfielder Toby Stephens as his one month loan spell had been due to end.

 

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News
Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll talks to BBC Radio Somerset

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll has challenged his players to overcome their “biggest test” after a disappointing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Torquay United on Boxing Day.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins, he encouraged a level of ‘balance‘ after seeing the unbeaten run of 12 matches halted – but promised the side had a big week ahead.

“The important thing is, is to stay balanced, with this result… the season is a long season, it’s a marathon.

“What we’ve done very well (before today) is not allow crosses coming into the box, we’ve not allowed that happen. But today we were poor at it, especially down this right hand side, I think all the goals came down the similar angle of this right hand side, and we didn’t stop crosses well enough and what you have to then do is stop the outcome of the crosses.

“I think we’ve played a lot better than that, but the manner of the defeat left a very sour taste in my mouth, which is why we had a gentle conversation at the end.”

Sarll promised that his side would be in for a big week of training ahead of the return fixture with Gary Johnson’s Gulls at Huish Park next Sunday.

“I said to them ‘this could be your biggest test so far, it’s alright to call yourself special when things are going well, and tweet and all that malarkey that that lot do now, these are challenges, and you have to stand up to challenges in the same way you stand up to diversity.

“That was my biggest disappointment today. At 1-0 stay in the game, even at 2-0  (if)Matthew (Worthington) scores, we have a great chance. Our set plays weren’t good enough, our work in and around the box wasn’t good enough, we fired high and wide too often, when corridors of opportunity opened up, when you do that, and don’t defend your box, I don’t think it’s too hard to see why you concede three and don’t score any. “

“We have to make sure we have a good, strong week now, reassert those principles of firstly, how you behave when you play for Yeovil, that’s the most important thing. Then secondly, just this group of players will be bubbling by next (Sunday), they’ll be desperate to get back out there.”

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll was proud of his side’s comeback after the Glovers turned a 0-1 deficit into a 3-1 in the FA Trophy game against Woking.

Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins he said that he needed to give his players a ‘polite’ word at the half time interval.

“When we went in at half time, I thought about the interview afterwards and have to say I’d picked the wrong team, for the right reason, to try and give some players some extra minutes.”

“I reminded them the amount of balls we had to defend at Wrexham, the amount of commitment we had to show at Bromley, the amount of quality we’ve had to show over the last two months and I said ‘are you ready for that to be all in vein, for all that to end today?’”

“The second half, there was a different energy to us, the body language was different, because first half was absolute garbage”

“The attitude and energy of the players was magnificent second half and their spirit and their fightback – that’s a really experienced side, Woking, good players, good manager and I thought once we built our momentum and speed of our play I thought we became the team we’d become accustomed to seeing.”

Adi Yussuf in action for Yeovil Town.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

The introduction of Adi Yussuf on the hour mark was a key moment in the game as the Tanzanian international scored a brace to send the Glovers into the fourth round.

Sarll was full of praise for all three subs and the introduction from the start of Max Evans, Alex Bradley and Jeheim Headley

“It’s like a team of misfits and they’re broken pieces of a puzzle, so when any of these lads do well, there’s a real sense of achievement… we like to celebrate their successes and Adi is no different.

(He’s) another one who has done so well for us, it’s taken its time, but he looks so much fitter and stronger now and he made a real difference when he came on.

He was powerful, disruptive and destructive and took his goals well.”

“Young Max (Evans) in goal, didn’t have a lot to do, but I thought he kicked very well, I thought Reuben (Reid) did well – we are a different team to last year, so the service to him was different … Reuben is going to need time, Alex (Bradley) I thought did much better in the second half, I was worried about his booking, so instead of having him suspended and we go to Torquay with one sub, that we save him…”

Sarll also confirmed that winger Charlie Wakefield had a slight injury and had been ill this week and was unlikely to come off the bench, and hoped to have Morgan Williams back in contention for Boxing Day’s trip to Torquay.

 

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town are looking to bring in a new player ahead of tomorrow’s FA Trophy tie against Woking at Huish Park.

Yeovil Town manager Darren Sarll.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Manager Darren Sarll said the squad was “drastically short” this week with defender Morgan Williams going down with COVID-19 and youngster Ollie Haste away with the English Colleges’ FA squad.

However, he did reveal that left-back Jordan Barnett, who has missed the last two games through illness, returned to training this week along with long-term absentees defender Mark Little and midfielder Lawson D’Ath.

Of the planned signing, Sarll said: “We are looking to do a one-month loan for someone this week to help us out because we have been drastically short this week.

“We have only  had 10 or 11 training all week, so we are looking to try and (bring one player in) today (Friday) to help us along.

“At the moment there will be no additions in the near future and we are going to have to make sure we improve our current group.

“But how many players would get in to this group right now? Most people would play second fiddle to who is playing very well because every player is in great form.

“The only ones who aren’t are those who have not played minutes, so we are happy with what we have got.”

Updating on the longer term injury victims in his squad, the manager said:

  • Reuben Reid – is likely to feature against Woking although the boss said how long the striker played would be decided by “a conversation” between the two of them ahead of kick-off.
  • Joe Quigley – the club’s top-scorer is likely to be available from January onwards having been missing with a knee injury since the 1-0 win at Dagenham & Redbridge last month.
  • Jack Robinson – the on-loan Middlesbrough defender is likely to be unavailable until later in January having suffered “some complications” with an ankle injury. The defender is scheduled to return to his parent club on January 10 – so it would appear an extension of his agreement is required if we were to see him again in a Yeovil shirt.
  • Mark Little – the experienced full-back returned to training this week having been missing since picking up an injury in pre-season.
  • Lawson D’Ath – the midfielder who was stretchered off on the final game of last season was also back in training this week.

 

 

By:
On:
In: Latest Yeovil Town News

Yeovil Town defender Morgan Williams will be missing until Boxing Day after being diagnosed with COVID-19, manager Darren Sarll has said.

The defender, who has started at left back for the past two matches, is the only player named who has been diagnosed ahead of the visit from Woking in the FA Trophy tomorrow.

Morgan Williams. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

Speaking ahead of the tie, Sarll said that football had “to get used to” a world with the virus and “find a way to get through it.”

He said: “We have to move forward, this is not going away, we have to move with it as best we can.

“Whether the Government shut the country or football down, the illness is not going away, it will just come back.”

“Morgan Williams has got COVID, so we have one player has got COVID from this week and will be unavailable until Boxing Day.

“If there’s three or four and we cannot field a team, we call the game off and play it later on when we have got enough players.”

Last week, the manager said the playing squad and staff were regularly testing for the virus to ensure they caught any illness before it broke out in the dressing room.

Chesterfield and Maidenhead United have withdrawn from the FA Trophy due to the illness and yesterday Grimsby Town manager Paul Hurst confirmed there were cases of COVID-19 in the Mariners’ squad.

All of us at the Gloverscast wish Morgan a speedy recovery and hope the rest of his family are well.