Dowson says some under-performers won’t play for the club again - 07/09/23

[Park Life]

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https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/s ... aw-292978/

Dartford manager Alan Dowson says some under-performers won’t play for the club again after 2-1 defeat at home to bottom side Slough Town in National League South

Dartford manager Alan Dowson has vowed some of his squad won’t play for the club again.

The Darts boss felt let down by his players after their 2-1 home defeat to bottom side Slough on Tuesday night.

It’s just two wins out of eight so far in National League South for Dartford’s new-look squad - and their manager has had enough.

“I’m not having some of them play for us again, I’m telling you now,” stated Dowson. “I’m not having some of them back in the team. I’ve done it now.

“Everybody around has been saying it’s not right and I think I’ll get it right, as I always get it right, but it’s not right so let’s not pretend it is.

“I believed they were going to be good enough but they haven’t been for what we need. Yes, we missed five players from last season, I get that. But it’s not very good.

“They’ve run out of chances, 100%. I’m not doing it anymore, I’d rather go a different way and build again. For the first time since I’ve been at the club, I feel let down. I feel as though I’ve let the club down and they’ve let me down.

“I can’t think of any positives. When you haven’t seen any fight or determination then you do feel let down. I feel as though I’ve let people down. I know I’ve let the club down. I care and want to do well but when you see a performance like that...

“Did anyone give me more than five out of 10? We scored a goal because it was a goalkeeper's mistake. Did anybody do well, including me? No. That’s how poor we’ve been and I’ve got to take responsibility for it.

“Performances like that just confirm what everybody is telling us, that the team is not good enough at the moment.”

Dowson was without the injured Luke Allen, Alex Wall, Sam Odaudu and Tommy Block, while Brandon Barzey is on international duty with Montserrat.

“The treatment table hasn’t changed,” added Dowson. “It’s always the same people on the treatment table and I said it would change this year and it hasn’t.

“That’s why from Monday I’m going to get the injured players in every day because I should have changed that at the start of the season.

“I signed players I believe will fight but I haven’t seen it in the last two games. Have I seen it all season? Once or twice, so I’ve got to take full responsibility.

“It’s my biggest low since I’ve been at the club and I think everybody knows that. The board aren’t daft, they know it as well.

“Some of the players last season wouldn’t have accepted what went on today and I’ve got too many people who just accept it. It’s the manager who has to get results and it’s on the manager’s head.

“There’s no good denying anything. They showed a lot more desire, they put their foot in, put their heads in, we were poor all around the pitch. We haven’t got a tackler but I thought they showed more desire.”

Dartford’s players have been left in no doubt about what is expected from them. They’ve got to fit into how Dowson wants to play.

“I don’t change my way for anybody,” stated the Dartford boss. “I’m very stern, in my 18 years as a manager I’ve always been single-minded.

“A lot of them don’t want to buy into what I want to do and bring to the football club, I can tell you that for nothing. I’ll have to replace a few because they haven’t got the mentality.

“I want people to work as hard as they can. I want them to be proud to be at the club and I don’t see that at all. If people upstairs don’t see it, the supporters don’t see it and I don’t see it, what’s the point? So, we’ll change a little bit on Saturday.

“There’s no excuse. I’ve signed three players on loan who were poor tonight. What can I do if I’ve signed these players and they’re playing like that? I feel the time to change is now and they’ve got to look at themselves and what they want out of football.

“I’ll always turn it around, don’t worry, I always do. I can’t believe some of the performances I’ve seen.”

Dartford are away to St Albans this Saturday with Dowson hopeful that Block and Odaudu could return from injury.

[Mark Sweet]

A very strong promise from Dowse to the players/fans.

Hopefully the club actually updates us as to which players are moved on and we are not left guessing to the whereabouts.