'Hurt' and 'riled' Brady defends his 'incredible' players against criticism for lack of effort

Jon Brady has launched a fierce defence of his Cobblers players in the wake of suggestions from some observers that the team 'didn't try a leg' in the recent 1-0 defeat at AFC Wimbledon.
Jon Brady gets a message across to Joseph Mills during the Cobblers' Good Friday win over Shrewsbury Town (Picture: Pete Norton)Jon Brady gets a message across to Joseph Mills during the Cobblers' Good Friday win over Shrewsbury Town (Picture: Pete Norton)
Jon Brady gets a message across to Joseph Mills during the Cobblers' Good Friday win over Shrewsbury Town (Picture: Pete Norton)

Town bounced back from that damaging late defeat on Good Friday when they were 1-0 winners over Shrewsbury Town, to move three points clear of the Sky Bet League One relegation zone.

But Brady admits that he went into that encounter 'riled up' by the comments of sections of the club's supporters on social media, who were critical of the players' physical effort in the loss at Plough Lane.

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Town conceded in the 88th-minute to go 1-0 down, and then Sam Hoskins saw his penalty saved at the death, and it was a result and performance that drew plenty of criticism online.

But Brady says his team's output in terms of effort during his time in interim charge has been 'incredible', and that he has 'had enough' of people questioning them.

He then highlighted the limited resources at his disposal, making it clear he is having to keep selecting the same core band of players, as others in the squad aren't doing enough in training to put pressure on and challenge for a start.

Brady says he, his coaching staff and the players are 'all in' as they try to secure the club's survival in Sky Bet League One, and he wants all of the supporters to get on board with that.

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"I am passionate, and I want to drive the players on, and I want them to know I am in it with them," said Brady.

"I was in it with them last weekend when it doesn't go right in the last minute (at Wimbledon), and the first person I walked straight over to after the game and put my arm round was Sammy Hoskins.

"I am in with everyone, we're all in, the staff, Sammo (Ian Sampson), Marc (Richards), myself and Dan (Watson), we are all in and are giving it everything we have got.

"It really hurt me, because I read people's comments after the game (at Wimbledon) and they were saying the boys didn't try a leg.

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"Well, let's get this right. These boys are giving it everything, and their output is incredible.

"With what we have got at the moment, Jack Sowerby is not out for the rest of the season, Mickel (Miller) is touch and go for the rest of the season, and we have no replacements in midfield.

"We have young lads there that have got to be better in training.

"Young lads such as Ricky Korboa and Caleb (Chukwuemeka), and people are asking about them and why they aren't playing at the moment, and in training they have to be better to get to the standard we require.

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"You can't flick a coin and hope they are going to turn up, and that is why these players are playing week in, week out.

"They are giving every single thing to the cause, and how dare anybody say they are not giving anything, I have had enough of it.

"Get behind them and give them everything you have."

And he added: "People can have their opinion, but I tell you what it has riled me this week, to really find a way to get those three points.

"It would be nice if people were behind us, and know what we are working with."

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Asked to expand on what the players he mentioned are doing wrong in training, Brady said: "The lads give their all, but it is about their decision making.

"Say for example, you ask at times for a player to take less touches, but then they continually take six or seven touches and slow our play down, or their delivery is not quite right, and they are not making forward runs.

"You can coach that, but then it is down to their decision making and implementing what they need to do at the right time.

"They are not consistent in their actions, and I can't hope they are going to turn up for us and put them in the team.

"I can't hope, we are in a position where we can't just hope, we have to go with reliability."

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