How the hell does the manager lift the Welsh Rugby players after yesterday? There talismanic captain Sam Warburton was wrongly sent off by an official, who with his French connections should never have been officiating at this game anyway, look at some of the reaction from some people who could hardly be called Wales greatest fans:
"Rolland u've had a shocker.... Not the first time either!!! We're not here to watch u.... (England wing Mark Cueto)
"Should have been a yellow but never a red, poor Sam he's been the heart and soul of Wales! (England full-back Ben Foden)
"Yellow card, no one says another word. Sam Warburton wrongly sent off. " (Scotland scrum-half Rory Lawson)
"Really gutted for Wales - never a red card" (Ex-Scotland lock Doddie Weir)
"Gutted for the Welsh lads been team of the tournament!" (England centre Mike Tindall)
OK I know this is a football forum, but the same thing applies, you have a close knit group of players, and a popular charismatic captain, he gets sent off in very dubious circumstances,and you are effectively "robbed" of a place in a WC final.........how gutted are you going to be? Then after being away from home for almost 6 weeks, you have to hang around for another week to play in a comparitively meaningless 3rd place match..........I bet those players just want to get on the next plane home.
How do you play it as a manager, do you adopt a "it's us against the world" siege mentality, "come on lads lets do it for Sam".
Do you dwell on the fact you were effectively "cheated" out of your chance of glory and use this to motivate the squad, or do you just try and put it behind you and move on.........and play each game as it comes? A tough call and this is where managers earn their money. Third place games, who REALLY remebers who came third, are they just one game to far and an unnecessarily cruel demand on the players, I personally would say scrap them, because if I was one of those players I'm not sure I could get myself up for it or that I'd want to
"Rolland u've had a shocker.... Not the first time either!!! We're not here to watch u.... (England wing Mark Cueto)
"Should have been a yellow but never a red, poor Sam he's been the heart and soul of Wales! (England full-back Ben Foden)
"Yellow card, no one says another word. Sam Warburton wrongly sent off. " (Scotland scrum-half Rory Lawson)
"Really gutted for Wales - never a red card" (Ex-Scotland lock Doddie Weir)
"Gutted for the Welsh lads been team of the tournament!" (England centre Mike Tindall)
OK I know this is a football forum, but the same thing applies, you have a close knit group of players, and a popular charismatic captain, he gets sent off in very dubious circumstances,and you are effectively "robbed" of a place in a WC final.........how gutted are you going to be? Then after being away from home for almost 6 weeks, you have to hang around for another week to play in a comparitively meaningless 3rd place match..........I bet those players just want to get on the next plane home.
How do you play it as a manager, do you adopt a "it's us against the world" siege mentality, "come on lads lets do it for Sam".
Do you dwell on the fact you were effectively "cheated" out of your chance of glory and use this to motivate the squad, or do you just try and put it behind you and move on.........and play each game as it comes? A tough call and this is where managers earn their money. Third place games, who REALLY remebers who came third, are they just one game to far and an unnecessarily cruel demand on the players, I personally would say scrap them, because if I was one of those players I'm not sure I could get myself up for it or that I'd want to


