‘What the f***! What the f***! What the f***!’: Pascal Chimbonda ‘launches 72-swear-word rant at half-time’ in 6-0 home loss with Skelmersdale United… as ex-Premier League star tears into players rock-bottom of the NINTH tier
- Pascal Chimbonda was given one of the most difficult jobs outside the competition in mid-October
- He ripped into his players while they were 4-0 down against Colne and swore repeatedly
- Inside Postecoglou’s Tottenham: IAKO looks at changes in culture and philosophy
Pascal Chimbonda is said to have sworn at his Skelmersdale United players 72 times at half-time in an attempt to stoke the passion among his struggling non-league players in a 6-0 defeat.
Skelmersdale were 4-0 down at home to Colne when the former Premier League defender railed against them in an attempt to stimulate them.
He took the job at the bottom club of the North West Counties League Premier Division in mid-October and has won just one of six games in the dugout so far.
Chimbonda has actually done quite well with Skelmersdale. He has taken them five points in four league matches in which he has been present, compared to three in the 16 games before he joined. His term has included three more defeats, but he was absent due to a visit to his elderly mother in Guadeloupe.
‘What the ***! What the ***! What the ***! What the ***! What the ***! Seriously, what the fuck!’, Chimbonda shouted at Colne at half-time The Athletics Fly-on-the-wall function.
Pascal Chimbonda crashed into his players at half-time as they trailed 4-0 against Colne
The ex-Premier League star took the job in October and although their form has improved, he has managed just one win
“Now get back out there and show some damn something in the second half. Because this is a mess. This is fucking awful. This is s***. If it wasn’t for him [pointing at goalkeeper Ben Barnes]it would be six or seven.”
Even before the match had started, Chimbonda tore into his players questioning their preparation.
He said: ‘That warm-up was bloody shocking. Seriously, listen to me. Those 10 minutes are important. But that was so damn sloppy. That was nonsense. We can’t warm up like this anymore. We have to be better, much better.’
After the humiliating loss – the fifth time they have scored six goals this campaign – he challenged his players to prove they are up to par with him. “Football isn’t bloody fun,” he said. ‘I love you all. I would go to war for all of you. But I don’t know if you would go to war with me.’
The trials at this level of football are unique: Skelmersdale’s reserve goalkeeper had to come on as striker for 20 minutes due to an injury against Colne.
Players are part-time and balance their football commitments with other jobs – The Athletic reports that goalkeeper Barnes was unable to attend a Thursday evening training session because he was on duty as a police officer.
Skelmersdale have bounced between the eighth and ninth tiers in recent seasons, but with just eight points after 23 games they are already eight points off safety and the future looks bleak.
Chimbonda leads a group of part-time players who had lost 15 of 16 league matches before he joined
Chimbonda recorded an impressive win in his second game in charge, beating Bardoldswick Town 4-1 at home.
He has previously opened up about his wider ambitions in taking the Skelmersdale job as he hopes to tackle the odds stacked against black coaches in English football.
He said: “I don’t know why this bias is still there because there are so many good black coaches who played at a high level of football and you never see them involved in coaching or on different boards of football.
“A lot of people told me, ‘Don’t give up.’ One day maybe it will happen and you will open the door for other black coaches to be involved in the football industry.”
‘This challenge, if I have to take it up to enter football, I open my arms to it. I’m very happy that they gave me the opportunity to express myself.
‘There are still plenty of matches to go. I’m going to shake that tree, try to build a good base and get out of this bottom of the table.
He hopes to tackle prejudice against black coaches in English football, as so few are given opportunities to shine
“I have to start my coaching career somewhere. Even though I know the challenge can be tough, if you never start somewhere, you will never learn anything and do anything good.”
He has a legendary career from which to draw inspiration.
Chimbonda was part of the France squad that reached the 2006 World Cup final and played for several Premier League clubs and won the League Cup with Tottenham.
He also played for Wigan, Sunderland and Blackburn in the top flight.