Elliott Bennett says Brighton & Hove Albion’s players must take responsibility for their lowly position in the Championship, and he says it’s up to them to lift the team away from the danger zone.
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The on-loan Norwich winger told the media that the squad are united in their fight to move up the table. He said, “It’s too easy to blame the manager. Football is simple, you have to win games and as a group of players we have to be better than the other team and win the game.
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“After 20 games the position in the table says that we haven’t done well enough as a squad of players. The manager is working as hard as he can and I don’t see how he can do anymore. As a group of players we need to take on what he is asking of us and beat the other team.
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“If you look at the manager’s career as a player, anyone who has succeeded the way he has, you have be driven, you have to have the winning mentality and he’s won many things and he’s passing that onto us.
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“The manager puts his head above the parapet and shots get aimed at managers. As players you’re hiding behind the trenches, but as a group of players we take as much responsibility as the manager because we’re the ones that cross the white line at the end of the day and try to win games.
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“The manager could send us out with the best tactics but if you don’t perform you’re not going to win games in this league, it’s not a league where you can just roll teams over, you have to have a plan and put that plan into action.
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“A manager can only tell a group of players what he wants from them, he can’t play it for them. As a group of players we have to take responsibility, I take responsibility for my performance on the pitch and the results we’ve been getting and as a group you have to do that.”
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Meanwhile Bennett says he would be happy to stay beyond the end of 2014, and help Albion lift themselves clear of trouble in the second half of the season – but admits it’s not something in his control.
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“I’m really thankful to be here and get the opportunity to play football, I’m really happy that I’m here. The ultimate goal for everyone is for the team to well because ultimately that’s why we play a team sport.
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“I want to help the team as much as I can and if that means defending all game to win the game then I’m happy to do that, anyway I can help to win the game I will.
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“It’s not in my control, if the manager here and Norwich wanted me to stay here, I’d love to stay. I’d never hide that fact, Brighton holds a special place for me, it helped me to play Premier League football and I’ll be forever thankful for that.”
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[h=3]ALBION V MILLWALL
[/h]FRIDAY 12TH DECember, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
[h=3]ALBION V READING
[/h]friday 26th december, KICK-OFF 3PM
[h=3]Albion v BRENTFORD
[/h]SATURDAY 17TH JANUARY, kick-off 3pm
Original article