Charlie Cresswell Dilemma ?

[Billyni]

Perhaps he wasn't well.

[Orgoner]

He didn't play, nor was he on the bench, that's the point! 😉

You’ve got me there!

[CalverleyBoy]

Charlie will be going out on loan shortly. his brother Alfie has committed further to Leeds and I am informed he is the better of the two.

[WTF11]

Charlie will be going out on loan shortly. his brother Alfie has committed further to Leeds and I am informed he is the better of the two.

Alfie is 16, neither Farke nor anyone else with influence is likely to be around by the time he gets the opportunity to play 1st team football for LUFC (if he ever does). Gray is an outlier of the strategy at LUFC ("Bring the youth on, showcase them on loan, sell for more than you paid"), although that "strategy" is rapidly running out of steam Joseph, Gelhardt, Hjelde, etc are unlikely ever to turn a profit, no matter where they go).

As for Charlie, he would be best advised to go elsewhere to get his career back on track, it won't happen a LUFC. Millwall are keen and know how good he is, only wish that we don't come up against them, and him next season.

[Monaco_Totty]

And yet again, we have a poster asserting that "But "never" would he get into such a ridiculous situation of a Coach questioning his attitude."

Who is stating that Cresswell has put himself into a situation where "a coach is questioning his attitude"??? Der Fuhrer, or someone else, please do tell?

The Club Head Coach has clearly said what the problem was & still is & how all matters were addressed.
Phil Hay -The Athletic, subscription.

"My decision was then that I played a lot with Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, and also Liam Cooper because he’s our club captain and experienced. Liam has repaid my trust whenever I needed him. It ended up with Charlie being our number four centre-back".

“You could sense that Charlie was not overly happy with this situation. Sometimes he was travelling with us and it was a little bit like he’s not really switched on and focused. We spoke openly and honestly about this and he said, ‘Listen boss, I totally appreciate everything but for me it’s difficult. I’m not happy to be centre-back number four. I want to be top two. I rate myself as a starter".

“It makes no sense if you’re not fully committed. He’s professional, never a problem with him, but it’s not like he’s fully committed. It was more like, ‘What am I doing here? I want to start’. I totally see why but I have to make the decisions for Leeds United.”

"The ball is in his court,” Farke added on Cresswell’s future. “Either you find a solution, if you want to play for a different club, or you come to me and tell me you’re happy to be number four, totally committed. I have to wait for my chance and work for it. If you think right now you have the right to start ahead of Joe Rodon or Pascal Struijk, it’s not possible".

“He won’t be picked until he is ready, mentally ready. I just want players who want to be there, accept their role and are fully on it".

“It’s no accusation. I totally get Charlie’s point but the ball’s in his court. One thing’s for sure — we don’t present him as a gift and wrap him and give him to a club, (if) the club doesn’t fulfill our expectations".

“Either there is a solution where a club reaches our expectations for a player full of potential, or not. Then he has to accept his role with the mindset of ‘I’m ready to fight.’ This is why I haven’t picked him in recent weeks and why I won’t pick him until the situation is sorted.”

So i'd say effective communication offered & plenty to consider for all parties in a system under PFA Welfare guidelines as early symptoms of depression can include feeling unhappy or hopeless, low self-esteem & finding no pleasure in things you usually enjoy which appears to have been the case for a few months now behind the scenes for Charlie.
But its up to him to decide what to do to get his life back on track now.

https://www.thepfa.com/players/wellbeing

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

I hear ya MT and have read the same things but it’s all about interpretation I guess.

Farke has asserted Charlie isn’t mentally focused etc but without saying why or there being any evidence of what is being said. Very easy to say something but there seem to be inconsistencies/gray areas in what he said.

Charlie hasn’t played a single minute since 4 October if he wasn’t pissed off that would be of more concern.

Strong rumours Cooper may leave too as he wants game time. Using Farke’s logic are Alying and Cooper not focused even though they see them self as starters - of course not.

If you look at how he has treated other young or new players then the source of the issues may not lie solely with the player but I get you have a different view.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Being reported Jaidon Anthony also unhappy with lack of game time and how he is being used and may want to go back to the Cherries.

If true, another example of Farke not being able to manage players outside the starting squad.

[WTF11]

"The Club Head Coach has clearly said what the problem was & still is & how all matters were addressed"

No, the coach has said what HE considers to be the problem, and offered no clear route as to "how all matters were addressed".

For someone who is so independently-minded you seem remarkably aquiescent when it comes to statement from Der Fuhrer.

He didnt have to say anything wrt Cresswell, he chose to make the comments regarding the players "state" (physical, psychological). How was that in any way shape or form looking after the welfare of the player? And as Der Fuhrer has made it blatantly obvious that there are (at least) three players ahead of Cresswell (notwithstanding any incomers this tw), how is it "up to him to to decide what to do to get his life back on track", apart from leaving LUFC of course?

[Monaco_Totty]

I hear ya MT and have read the same things but it’s all about interpretation I guess.

Farke has asserted Charlie isn’t mentally focused etc but without saying why or there being any evidence of what is being said. Very easy to say something but there seem to be inconsistencies/gray areas in what he said.

Charlie hasn’t played a single minute since 4 October if he wasn’t pissed off that would be of more concern.

Strong rumours Cooper may leave too as he wants game time. Using Farke’s logic are Alying and Cooper not focused even though they see them self as starters - of course not.

If you look at how he has treated other young or new players then the source of the issues may not lie solely with the player but I get you have a different view.

So on balance we could start a debate on squad size & why Bielsa only worked with a small squad ?

We could then move on the conversation to developing young players in big or small squads scenarios covering ability & mental abilities required in an intense sport governed by results by scoring goals or defending of goals that has huge consequence on clubs finances & personnel.

But clubs only now realise the effect of such pressures on mental health issues.

Denial of having mental problems is the problem with depression issues early doors as everyone else sees it but not the individual.
When the time is right, folks may come out of denial but in the meantime only "support" may help them to reach the correct positive pathways which goes on a lot inside* footballs machine of services which is kept confidential.

Problem is the media want a story & folks want to read it 24/7 - so abnormal pressures for those under the spotlight 24/7 too including players family who often feel forced to comment.

Five minutes off the bench now & then ain't ideal realistically to be fair in managing players of "certain personality" characteristics, let alone keeping goalkeepers happy.

What would you do then ?

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Having coached rugby and football (including an age group with 3 to 4 teams due to numbers) it isn’t easy and politics can easily take hold.

However, you need to have an idea/plan for the development of all of the squad not just the jewels.

In addition, rotation and subs become quite important. Would be clocking how many minutes each player is getting and would be targeting games where you could rotate one or two players. Some players are best starting, others are great at making an impact.

I also think the modern game allows for more impact from the subs bench and Farke seems to miss a trick or five there (look at the SA rugby team and the impact their bench makes often at half time). We often make subs after 85 minutes which seems more about using up time as anything else. We have lots of players who could fulfil that role. Gnonto, James (if not starting), Poveda, Gruev, Joffy, Joseph etc.

I would also work out how I saw players progressing and developing and work out what they need to achieve that. You also have one eye injuries - if the backup squad doesn’t have game minutes harder for them to step in.

For some players, such as Gray, I would be keen to manage his minutes and have an eye on his future. I would also try to play players in their w risk positions unless there was a development reason not to. Gray looks so much better in midfield.

Most of all I would want a culture where the door to the first XI is never closed. I would be acutely aware of not becoming a club young players don’t want to join whether on loan or permanently.

Not easy and an awful lot of work to keep all the plates spinning.

I avidly consume way too much Leeds content and from that it does seem that Farke has favoured players, takes offence easily and is crap at making subs. We seem slow to adapt tactics when it’s not working too. It looks like he plays his system without much adaptation to the opposition. Corboran is at the other extreme but he played a blinder against us.

I still think he has done a really good job this season but there are worrying signs about some elements of what he does and how and the biggest one for me is how he handles younger and/or fringe players.

You might counter he is old school but the game has moved on somewhat since those days.

Only my tuppence worth but I do think that one area of concern could be easily fixed.