Newport County boss rips into players after Salford slump becomes seventh defeat in a row

By Max Drinkwater-James

“I don’t know whether one or two players take their job seriously enough.”

That was the blunt assessment from angry Newport County boss Graham Coughlan after his side lost 1-0 at home to Salford City.

Salford substitute Matthew Smith grabbed the winning goal in stoppage time – but Coughlan was annoyed with what he saw from his side over the course of the whole 90 minutes.

Asked for his verdict on a seventh successive defeat, Coughlan said: “There was lots and lots of mistakes and lots of sloppiness and errors with the basics.

“(I saw) players who are tired, who are fatigued, who are not concentrating, who’ve just lost their way.

“It’s sad looking at us at this moment in time, it’s unfair. It’s an unfair reflection of us. But like I say, the lads have got to show a bit more hunger, a bit more desire.”

Coughlan was left seething over individual performances and even questioned players’ attitude towards their job.

“I don’t know whether one or two players take their job seriously enough because football’s a precious game and when you don’t win, it hurts,” he added.

“My question to a number of the players in there, not all but a number, is: ‘does it hurt them as bad as badly as it hurts me and the fans?’”.

Coughlan also highlighted just how much of a low this was for him as a manager.

“I’m an experienced man, player, coach, a manager with nearly 1500 games under my belt and I’ve not ever seen a group of lads fall apart the way we have,” he said.

Newport county face a trip to Bradford City in their final game week of the League Two season.