If you do the math, you will get your answer.
"Journos" struggle with comprehension, grammar, & spelling. They have no chance at handling maths, hence their 2 + 2 = a ham sandwich routine.
What I think we have here is a conflation of events, some actual and some fictitious; contrived to create/embellish a situation for clicks 'n' eyeballs. (Muckraking and gutter-talk is, after all, their stock-in-trade.)
No doubt there is an element/kernel of truth in at least some of what is reportedly going on, but as others have noted, I am almost certain it is not the full story, nor perhaps even the main story of what is actually going on behind-the-scenes.
* Are some players unhappy with the amount/difficulty of training? Maybe, but there's no evidence. (other than, "trust us, we have an anonymous text message") Ciraldo has denied it; said no one has brought that to him. Gus said, "Certainly, no player has complained to us at the club about anything around training or culture." Of course, they would say this, but until there is (actual) evidence to the contrary (eg. a player coming out and saying it AND putting their name to it), then I am calling BS on this.
* Did a player walk out of training because of a "wrestling punishment"? Gus said, "No one's walked out. I can tell you that."
* Has a player requested personal leave to deal with mental health issues? Yes, confirmed by Gus & Ciraldo. Neither linked that fact to the "training punishment" - Gus said the player on leave finished the week of training before a request was made for leave. There is no reason to disbelieve this assertion. There is no suggestion (except by some journo-scum) that the player has taken leave because they are not a hard trainer and couldn't (or wouldn't) handle the workload.
* Does this mean there is not underlying unrest within the playing group and club? No. Clearly the club "not winning" is a major problem.
* Is Ciraldo blameless in this? No. Trying to deflect the problems of a "losing culture" onto the players is to miss the forest for the trees.
My mind is drawn to a critical point of our season, just before the bye. Ciraldo threatened changes, and to demand accountability and standards. He went straight on the following Tuesday to name many of the same culprits that had supposedly not met standards. Now if that doesn't send the wrong message and impact poorly on "the culture" then I don't know what would. Clearly "standards" are applied selectively.
The players not dropped feel invulnerable. The players not picked in their place feel they are not rewarded for the effort they are putting in (For the coach). We cannot look past some of the issues now cited by Ciraldo as, at least partly, of his own making.
Yes, the players need to be held accountable, BUT so does the coach AND the football manager.
I hope when they are going through their season review (honestly), that incident is not overlooked. If it is (or it isn't even recognised) we will be in exactly the same position next year. I hope Ciraldo can improve and become the Head Coach we all hope he can be; but unless he takes a long, hard look in the mirror and makes real and profound changes he is well on the way to becoming Barrett MkII.
We might not have the strongest roster in history, but writing off 2023 as just "not the right players" (again) will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
