Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince has criticized his manager Troy Deeney’s tough approach towards the League Two strugglers, claiming the former Watford star has made ‘a mistake’.
Deeney made headlines after trashing his side on a number of occasions, claiming there were ‘too many babies’ in the team, and also insisting he needed reinforcements in January.
Since pulling up his boots in December, the 35-year-old has not had the smoothest transition into management of a side struggling to stay in the Football League, drawing three and losing three under his leadership .
Deeney himself revealed that he was on the receiving end of vile racist abuse in the aftermath of his tirade, sharing an abhorrent message sent to him via social media.
Owner Vince spoke to Mail Sport at Wembley as part of the second year of the Green Football Weekend, where he took part in a ‘Ready Veggie Cook-off’ challenge with Joe Cole, Robbie Savage and Levi Roots.
Dale Vince admitted he thought his manager Troy Deeney had made a mistake with his tough love with his Forest Green Rovers side
Deeney has not won any of his six games at Forest Green Rovers since taking over
The League Two strugglers are at risk of leaving the Football League at the end of this season
Your browser does not support iframes.
However, Vince spoke about his side’s recent poor form in League Two and confirmed he will speak to Deeney about his harsh words for the side.
“I think it was a mistake,” Vince said. “I know he’s apologized for it, so I think he sees that. I think it was wrong to talk to the players that way. Some of the things he said were just wrong, they were harsh, they were wrong.
‘I don’t think this is the way to coach people, to bring a team of people together. I think it was probably caused by emotion. He was frustrated at the end of that game, but we’re all human and things happen.
‘I haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet, but I will.
“Those things can go either way; it may be a shock and a shock, but I think there is a danger that it could go the other way and players will actually resent what is being said to them because it is being said in public, and I think that’s where the mistake is.
‘By all means, talk to the players in clear terms, but to say it in public is something else. It can go in the wrong direction and if you say it in private, managers can lose the dressing room by being too bold for too long, at least that’s how I understand it.’
On Saturday, Forest Green lost 2-0 at home to Harrogate Town, with Jack Muldoon and Abraham Odoh scoring two goals in the second half, as the home side were booed off the pitch at The New Lawn Stadium.
After the match, Deeney slammed his players in the press as he laid bare his desire to make changes to his squad.
“I tried to wrap my head around it, but the sledgehammers are going to have to come out and there are going to be a lot of people who aren’t going to like it,” he said. ‘It doesn’t really matter to me.
Deeney was a player-coach at the club before retiring and taking on the role of manager in December
“Right now there are too many babies, top to bottom.”
When asked about his assessment of the game, he added: ‘Probably the same as everyone else. A lot of nonsense.
‘A group of people doing their own thing, hiding, being afraid. I don’t understand why they are afraid. They should be used to losing, based on what I’ve seen over the last 18 months, two years.”
Vince agreed that the on-pitch performance had not been good enough, while hinting at the possibility of additions and changes this month in the January transfer window.
‘On the field!’ he said, when asked where improvement was needed. ‘I know everyone has done their best, but this season you have to say that is not good enough.
“We’re in January, so we’ll be able to make changes. We are in another relegation battle. No one wants to be here, but this is where we are!’
Ahead of Green Football Weekend, Vince spoke about the importance of adopting ‘the green agenda’ in football, noting how his club’s fans have embraced Forest Green’s approach.
Deeney also described some of his players as ‘babies’ as he joined the League Two strugglers
Forest Green owner Vince suggested there could be revenues and additions in January
The world’s largest climate football campaign, which culminates in the Green Football Weekend itself on the weekend of February 2 to 5, mobilizes fans, clubs, leagues and partners to take action on the climate.
The campaign will focus on the power of vegetables to help protect our world; encouraging fans to try cooking a vegetarian meal and working with clubs and caterers to offer delicious vegetarian and plant-based food for matchday fans.
“It’s simple: football is a great cultural force,” Vince said. ‘It is the biggest sport in the world, reaching billions of passionate fans. If we can harness some of that passion and direct it toward the environment, we can create change on an incredible scale.
‘I’ve seen it work at Forest Green Rovers, where our fans have embraced the club’s green agenda.’