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Chambers: We Gave Everything for Hurst
Thursday, 1st Nov 2018 16:47

Captain Luke Chambers is adamant that he and his Town team-mates gave everything for ex-boss Paul Hurst, who was dismissed last week after only 149 days in charge and a miserable run of just one win in 15 games in all competitions.

Asked about things behind the scenes under Hurst, the skipper said: “There were never any problems. It’s very difficult when things don’t start well and you don’t win games.

“A lot of change has happened at the club, which we weren’t used to in the previous few years, in terms of the number of new players who’ve come in.

“You change 12 players and you are asking many of them to step up a level and you’re also asking the lads who have played at this level to help support that.

“I just think there was so much change, and in such a short space of time, that we didn’t manage to knit together the way we’d have liked.

“If we’d won the first three games everything would have been different and the new lads would have been flying.

“When things aren’t going well it becomes a snowball effect and you can’t stop it. You don’t enjoy yourself if you train all week then lose on a Saturday.

“It has been awful in terms of losing games. After a defeat I don’t sleep on a Saturday night and while I can’t speak for everyone else I’m pretty sure it is the same for some of the others.

“You need to recognise that as a group of players we are in a position where we don’t want to be.


“Sometimes you get beaten and you look around and see a few lads laughing and joking.

“I think the realisation needs to be that if ever there was a time in your career where you really need to knuckle down this is it. Hopefully, I think we’ll be doing that in the next few weeks.”

Was Hurst’s man-management an issue? “Not really,” added Chambers, “but there was a different way of doing things.

"As a group of lads — and I said this to Mick [McCarthy] before, to Paul Hurst when he was here and to new manager Paul Lambert — I think the lads are like sponges. They will absorb everything.

“Because of the way the club has been run over the past few years everyone who has come into the club is the honest type.

“We’re not going to sign the best players in the league — we don’t have the funds to do that — but all the players who have come in have been 100 per cent in terms of effort, honesty etc.

“They’ve been solid characters you would want to have around and who you’d want as team-mates, and they’ll always do what is asked of them.

“They’ve always tried to perform and always given their best to the club, but for whatever reason it hasn’t worked out.

“In this group we have now I don’t think there will ever be a bad egg, the types who have always fallen by the wayside.

“That will continue to happen, so if someone wasn’t doing the right things — and I’m not just talking about on the pitch, I mean generally around the place, not turning up on time and leaving before they’ve had lunch with the team, little tiny details like that, maybe things weren’t as black and white as they needed to be.”

Town’s nightmare start to life under Hurst was played out to a backdrop of constant rumours of unrest behind the scenes, even to the extent of players falling out with the new manager or members of his backroom team, while the controversial axing of two World Cup players in Polish goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski and Danish defender Jonas Knudsen was also a major talking point among fans.

Chambers said: “It’s always difficult when you played as well as you could for three years, like Bart did, and he became a God-like figure within the club and to the fans.

“When things aren’t going well you’re always looking for the answer. If I’ve made a mistake or Bart has made a mistake, and we find ourselves out of the team, for us as individuals that’s obviously not great and it’s not expected, but because we’d been used to seeing a similar selection process, and not using so many players, it was strange that we saw so many changes.

“There might be mistakes and you might draw or lose, which would mean the team would change. There were a lot of changes, not just in terms of bringing players into the club but also with regard to matchday selection.

“It’s always difficult when you are meeting new players, and they are meeting us. To try to knit all that together when you’re changing the team, and trying to find that winning formula, isn’t easy.

“This isn’t me saying the gaffer was wrong in trying to do what he was trying to do, because we were trying to find a winning formula.

“We still haven’t done that and it’s not to say we are going to do it straight away under the new manager, but if you are making big decisions to take players out of the team you must accept it’s going to be difficult because it’s going to draw more attention.

“In those circumstances it’s very difficult for players to have belief in themselves, let alone the ideas that are there.”

Can Hurst go on to resurrect his managerial career and be a success elsewhere? “Well, he had success everywhere he’d been before coming here,” Chambers continued. “As players, I still think we gave absolutely everything. It’s just that it didn’t work out.

“I think the lads can still go into Saturday’s game against Preston and be very positive. We’ve had a good week in training and we’re moving forward. We’ll see where it takes us.”


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Blue_Again added 17:08 - Nov 1
He talks a good talk doesn't he....
4

Currie10 added 17:17 - Nov 1
' It has been awful in terms of losing games. After a defeat I don't sleep on a Saturday night and while I can't speak for everyone else I'm pretty sure it is the same for some of the others. '

The word SOME in there would suggest Chambers isn't thrilled with various players.
3

bluejacko added 17:35 - Nov 1
Not from what I have witnessed!
3

frantblue added 17:56 - Nov 1
So he is highlighting the need for a settled system style and give the team chance to knot and gel
2

baxter7 added 17:58 - Nov 1
Your probably not tired Saturday night after sleeping Saturday afternoons
-2

runningout added 18:08 - Nov 1
there's giving everything, and there's reading the game. Under Klug v Millwall was disturbing
1

Tractorboy1985 added 18:23 - Nov 1
From speaking to Chambo recently.. and I know he's not the finest footballer.. his heart and soul is in this club! A fantastic captain! There aren't many players these days who are so dedicated to a club and I thank him for that! But now it's time for management.. players and fans to come together.. build a solid healthy atmosphere at Portman road if we are to get out this mess! Paul lambert instils more confidence in me than hurst ever did.. realistically we are 3-4 players short but if we can get to January within touching distance of safety i think that's the most we can hope for! 2 huge games coming up! COYB
17

carlo88 added 18:28 - Nov 1
^baxter7

Yes, you're just the type of fan the club needs at the moment eh?
0

unknown100 added 18:36 - Nov 1
If you gave everything, then we are in serious trouble
7

baxter7 added 18:54 - Nov 1
Carlos88 I have supported itfc for 56 years through ups and downs and I feel I have every right to criticize whether it's a player all players the manager the owner so don't tell me they need fans like me I will still support them if they play in league 1 .2 or national leaque would you
5

dukey44 added 19:36 - Nov 1
Sorry I may be voted down but he's seriously been very poor and one of major reasons we let so many in.. Perhaps a rest will do him World of good?
5

GFH added 19:36 - Nov 1
Well said tractoboy 1985, we all need to pull together in the same direction now. I'm so sick of all the negative comments on here warranted or not.
3

cat added 20:14 - Nov 1
I'm not so sure that Chambo and the players ‘gave' everything for PH' what I can say without doubt is they ‘gave' away a shed load of stupid goals. I'm not Chambon biggest fan, however, after a bright start to the season I gave him the benefit but rather unfortunately normal service has been resumed. When will the die hard Chambo fans realise this bloke has been the bedrock of a pish poor defence for the last 2/3 seasons now and I sincerely hope the penny drops sooner rather than when it's too late. It's takes more than a razor sharp haircut or a full sleeve of tats to impress me. (Lol)
6

GluedtoBlue added 20:38 - Nov 1
@ Cat

Not sure our defensive record has been that bad in the last couple of years.

It's not great so far this season (obviously) but Chambers is way down our list of issues.

Maybe if we could score a goal or two some pressure would be taken off the defensive side and, maybe, just maybe that would lead to less mistakes.
5

nineteenseventyeight added 20:42 - Nov 1
Gave Hurst everything apart from a Home win
2

cat added 21:05 - Nov 1
Gludedtoblue- agree, we have been poor in most departments, defensive mistakes, lack of creativity and finding the net are the main issues, but it's the mistakes that have cost us points. However, I'm confident that we will be ok this season, whether that's down to my over optimistic nature remains to be seen, but I've seen glimpses of quality and good work rate from the likes of Jackson, Edwards, dozza, Downes, Donacien and a couple of others, so let's hope P.L. kick starts them to a level of consistency. I personally don't think our players are as poor as many on here think, but each to their own!
5

ITFCsince73 added 21:24 - Nov 1
@Cat. Totally agree.
1

ITFCsince73 added 21:32 - Nov 1
I think it's safe to say, the longer Chambo stays within the starting 11. We won't go anywhere better, anytime soon.
Yes great captain. Yes great club man. But just awful as a player. Fills me with zero confidence when the ball is anywhere, within 20 feet of him.
3

shakytown added 21:58 - Nov 1
Just come out and say it Chambo. There were too many new players and they are just not good enough for this league at this stage. We really need some experienced players to stem the tide until the January window or it will be to late.
0

DurhamTownFan added 07:37 - Nov 2
If you can forget that he hasn't personally had the beat season so far, what he actually says in this makes a lot of sense. No players get confidence by being dropped and then wording if they're going to get back into the team next week.it leads to more self-doubt and more mistakes, especially in defence and in attack players just stop taking risks.
2

itfcsmurf added 08:37 - Nov 2
We gave it everything? - NO! you didn't / haven't. You are slow to react, you give the ball away to often, a visible lack of effort and You have cost us goals with constant mistakes. You are the Captain, You are meant to lead, motivate and inspire the team on the field. You haven't done any of this this season. Its time for you to take a term on the bench until your mojo returns. From you we want blood, sweat and tears, we want 100%, we want passion and commitment and we want that to flow out of our Captain and infuse into all on the pitch. Luke its time to step up or shut up, starting tomorrrow. Good luck.
1

cantona11 added 12:02 - Nov 2
WELL DONE for all supporter that have actually gone to games and have watched the so called captain not be a leader and the worst player on the pitch (if Spence isn't playing) and as long as he is captain will never get dropped give the arm band to Skuse as he will always be on the team sheet if fit rightly on wrongly I for one are a fan of his if we can get some fwd thinking midfielder in there along side him I've said it before we are the worse defence in the league and have been for many year at being able to bring the ball out of defence Webster had potential and Pennington is good at it but he's not ours 🤞Wolfenden looked like he can do it but that is the start of our attacks as is spends a lot of time in our defensive areas and Chambers can not do it to save his life ive seen him get passed a ball with plenty of time for him to mis control it, wait on the ball ,panic then eventually kick it to the opposition when any one who has played football can see a little touch out of his feet and off he goes up the pitch getting us on the front foot. Anyway I'll be there as I am every season and will continue to be COYB
2

arc added 17:50 - Nov 2
“That will continue to happen, so if someone wasn't doing the right things — and I'm not just talking about on the pitch, I mean generally around the place, not turning up on time and leaving before they've had lunch with the team, little tiny details like that, maybe things weren't as black and white as they needed to be.”

That's a strange thing to say–is he suggesting that players just disrespected Hurst and started breaking rules without consequences? Perhaps the captain should have had a word?? But also it doesn't exactly fit with the theme of total dedication to the departed boss!
1


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