Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper gives what has been described a bleak interview with fans concerned by talks of club almost folding.
The post-match chat to the BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins, with the Glovers losing 2-0 away to Maidenhead, got plenty of people talking.
Yeovil are a goal difference of the National League relegation places and they head to 18th place York City on Saturday, hoping to get a viral three points.
Twitter user @MikeH88 saw: “Some interview 😳
“‘If Starnes and Robins not here club would have folded months ago.’ Confirmation SP has abandoned ship.
“This is a man serving on your board @TheVanaramaNL
“This is the man you gave millions of taxpayers money to @Southsomersetdc @PeterSeib Disgrace. #YTFC”
Mark Cooper’s post-match view. #YTFC 💚 pic.twitter.com/tfE823gUSD
— Yeovil Town F.C. (@YTFC) February 21, 2023
Well, mark, is that as disappointed as you’vebeen or as you’ve been at the club?
MC: Definitely was worried about tonight after the energy we expended on Saturday. If I could’ve, I would have changed five or six players to try and freshen it up. Couldn’t really do that. But I don’t think we’d have scored if we’d have been there until tomorrow night. The powder pop up top and the difference in the teams was that they’re sent a forward lot, proper handful, of course, to have a formal.
Interviewer: And you’ve never been afraid to change the set up of the team or personnel?You made the change at half time, but are you disappointed at the lack of impact that made?
MC: Yeah, listen, I look at myself first always and did I get the selection right? You’d have to say no. Did I get the tactics right? Say no. But tactics for me, it’s about desire tonight after Saturday’s efforts. About desire to keep the ball out of our net and making sure we get nil against us and then seeing what happens. But we didn’t. Like I said, we were never going to score tonight.
Interviewer: Because I felt that maiden head defensive line looked like your side had been in previous games, but there are a couple more heart and mouth moments and it could have been more than two now, couldn’t it?
MC: Like I say, their forwards were a real handful or they seemed to be for our defenders. As a team, you’re usually only as good as you forward and that’s an area we need to improve.
Because you had a lot of possession but didn’t do it a lot with it. And as soon as he got into the box, it looked like the players didn’t quite know what decision to make.
MC: Well, the games are usually decided by good and bad decision making. Saturday we lost because of bad decision making. And again tonight Maidenhead have made more good decisions than we lost the game. So we can cry about it, but we’ve got to pat Maidenhead on the back, say well done, we got to move on. You’ve got to try somehow, try and get a couple of players in. Gives us a little bit of a spark at the top of the pitch because you can defend all you want. If you haven’t got that spark at the top, you’re never going to win games.
Interviewer: And you’re speaking about that lack of energy. Have you got some players that are just playing through a pain barrier or just struggling in general?
MC: I don’t know, because we haven’t got the staff to decide that. So we’re guessing at the minute. I’m not using that as an excuse. No way. Just stating the facts. And the team that we put out I still thought could have should have got a result. There wasn’t too many changes we need to make.
Interviewer: And you spoke about how good the performance was against Knotts County on Saturday, but this was almost more important, wasn’t it? And it just didn’t quite hit the height.
MC: Yeah, listen, the players since I’ve been here have been magnificent and I can never question them for effort, and I’m not questioning them for effort, it’s just we know where we are. We know where we are. But I said to the players after the game on Saturday, we’ve expended an unbelievable amount of energy and got nothing. You’d have been better off throwing the game. So that was my feeling. And as a group, we were miles of it.
Interviewer: You spoke about wanting to get additions higher up the pitch. You’ve spoken about the off field issues and not having a physio. Have you got assurances that you can actually do that? I need to go and speak to Martyn (Starnes, Chief Executive Officer) and your Dad (director, Stuart Robins) who have been magnificent if they were not here, the club would have folded ages ago, so fair play to them too. They’ve kept it going. So I’m going to speak to them now and see if we can do some magic before the weekend.
Interviewer: And the weekend, of course. York City. Another huge game.You’re only out of the bottom four on goal difference. How do you approach this week for the players?
MC: Stick together. I think it’s difficult. They understand that tonight wasn’t acceptable and they have to understand that. And then we move on Thursday. Tomorrow, rest. We need of rest. And then Thursday we start again and we have to come up with a plan and, like I say, hopefully bring one or two in that can help us.
As mentioned, Yeovil boss Mark Cooper gives a bleak interview with fans concerned by talks of club almost folding…
@ArchieMorris87: So, #YTFC, it feel like this is it. There have been warnings for a couple of years now. But this time, I really see no glimmer of hope, no light at the end of the tunnel. Like an old family friend in intensive care, just waiting for someone to switch off the life support machine.
@elliotwarnerr: Think the comment about the club nearly folding says a lot too
@tomhwilliams23: From an outsider it’s horrific. Cooper surely goes soon. Far too good for a relegation scrap, especially when the owner is pissing about
@Browny_90: Struggling on players. Barely any staff at the club. We all know how this ends. Congrats on the win against us on Sat, Yeovil.
@OffTheLineBlog: 🟩 Mark Cooper really has been dealt a tough hand at #YTFC. Managed to recruit fairly well on a 6-pence + now doesn’t have a physio – yes, you read that right: they don’t have a physio. And, the worst part? The owner is on the #NationalLeague board overseeing the division.
@Southsomersetdc @Chestnutters On behalf #YTFC fans / local community, please remind us again of what safeguard issues exist for the future of the club?
For instance, if #YTFC when into administration, isn’t it legal fact that YT Holdings can still buy the land / stadium?
— Martin Hellier (@MartinHellier) February 23, 2023
Happening at Yeovil Town FC right now , but no ones interested in looking into it.#ytfc #OpenYourEyes
— ArchieHD Hood (@ArchiehdHood) February 23, 2023
Starve. Him. Out.
Lies and broken promises.
Time to start speaking a language @scottpriestnall understands. 💰 #priestnallout https://t.co/DGoeHxuO2j pic.twitter.com/Cpdi3PyACi
— Mike Hudson (@MikeH88) May 29, 2022
#Yeovil #boss #Mark #Cooper #bleak #interview #fans #concerned #talks #club #folding
