Walsall boss Darrell Clarke keen to instil a winning mentality

The manager was furious after his side fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Carlisle on Sunday, despite having enough clear opportunities to win the game. The result came after a string of positive performances that saw the Saddlers pick up four points from two tricky away fixtures.

After the Carlisle defeat Clarke criticised some of his players for being weak-minded.

Now he has insisted he wants to be a winner in football as he looks towards his second transfer window in charge of Walsall.

“I want to be a winner,” he said. “In any group of players up and down the country, some teams are spending absolute fortunes.

“But I want to be a winner and what you do is weed them out, the ones that I don’t think have the right mentality. 60 or 70 per cent of the game is won on mentality, what’s going on in the mindset of players. Like I say, one or two are falling short of that.

“There’s areas of the pitch that we need to strengthen in the window. Three of four, not wholesale changes.

“The group is a tight-nit group, the spirit in the camp is very, very good.

“The effort and endeavour is good it’s just a mentality thing, being a winner on a consistent basis, and I think one or two are lacking in that department massively.

“If they don’t learn quick they’ll be on their merry way.”

One player that did receive plaudits after Sunday’s match was striker Josh Gordon.

The 25-year-old had a terrific first half as he created several chances and regularly tracked back to win the ball and force counter attacks.

His work-rate throughout the match earned him the Saddlers man of the match award and he’s one player that Clarke isn’t concerned about.

“Mentally strong, not a problem with Josh,” Clarke added.

“Not a problem with him whatsoever, he works hard for the team.

“I don’t know what it is with footballers in the development stage and what goes through their heads.

“But Josh isn’t one of them.

“The younger boys haven’t played many games, but we have to get more.

“Liam Roberts has played more than 100 games now and he’s been excellent at times this season.

“But I am going to be critical of him today because the second goal has cost me a point, simple as that.

“If people don’t like that or they can’t take that then they shouldn’t be in the footballing world.”