CHRIS WILDER launched an astonishing rant at his Watford players after their 3-1 defeat to Cardiff on Wednesday night.
The Hornets led 1-0 through Ismaila Sarr’s 11th minute goal before things quickly went downhill.
Three goals in 11 minutes saw Cardiff go into the half-time break leading 3-1 at Vicarage Road.
The result saw Watford fall five points behind the play-offs with three matches remaining in a major blow to their promotion hopes.
After the match, Wilder ripped into his team – calling them “weak mentally and physically”.
He said: “We allowed the opposition to get back into the game.
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“They sniffed we were weak mentally and physically, and scored three.
“All of a sudden everybody wants to flick it and do their own thing. People are playing out of position, hitting cross-field balls… you lose your rhythm quickly.
“Basically, you say to the opposition: ‘There you go, there’s an opportunity to get back into the game’.
“And they took it. We gave a daft free kick away and we can’t defend set pieces.”
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Wilder, 55, then went on to accuse his players of lacking “courage” – while suggesting that some of them just simply don’t care.
He continued: “Players haven’t got the courage to dig each other out, they’ve not got the courage to say: ‘Get off my toes and go and play in your position’, and that’s basically because they’re individuals.
“It’s quite difficult to analyse 20-odd players. Some might just be not bothered and underneath their breath saying: ‘I’m not bothered, there’s no consequence for me as a player’.
“Some might care, they might take it on board. Some might not even know who I am.
“But I know who I am. I know what principles I’ve got and I know what I’ve achieved through being a team player and a team man.
“I’ll keep being that team man. I’ll sacrifice everything to be involved in the team.
“I don’t think anybody will be able to get a tune out of this firm if they go individual.”
Watford recently released a statement saying that Wilder would remain in charge until the end of the season, amid widespread reports that he was on the verge of being replaced by Francesco Farioli.
‘IT’S A STRUGGLE’
The former Sheffield United and Middlesbrough boss is Watford’s third manager of the campaign, after Rob Edwards and Slaven Bilic were both sacked earlier this season.
Asked if his players are unmanageable, Wilder assessed: “I think it’s a struggle. I think six have had a go now recently. It’s a struggle and it’s been difficult for the supporters.
“Two relegations, a mid-table finish and the Covid season, where it was good. I don’t think it is unmanageable, but there are certain things that really have to change, in my opinion.
“There has been the model and there has been success with it. The owners might try and recreate that.
“I personally think the supporters want something a little bit deeper than maybe what’s happened.”
Asked about his own future, Wilder replied: “I’m not going to talk about myself. It’s not about me or what I’m going to do next year.
“I’m not going to get caught up in any of that regarding me, I don’t think it’s right at this particular moment to talk about my future.”
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The Hornets are next in action on Saturday, when they travel to Hull City.
They then finish their season with an away trip to Sunderland and home clash with Stoke.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
