Players revolt over sacking

Press, 13 May 1987, Page 80

Players revolt over sacking

PA Hamilton A players’ revolt has forced the Waikato Football Club to reconsider its decision to sack the soccer coach, Roger Wilkinson. The players have demanded that Mr Wilkinson be reinstated after expressing their shock and anger at his dismissal. A fellow coach, Tommy Taylor, said that the board’s announcement had come as “a bombshell” and the players wanted both him and Mr Wilkinson to stay on. “They wanted to stick together as a team,” he said. “We have a good understanding with the players and Roger and I get on well together. “We just want to get on with winning the league and getting into the national league.” • ' Mr Taylor said that the players had been told why Mr Wilkinson had been dismissed but refused to give details. Mr Wilkinson had no comment to make. A Waikato F.C. director, Paul Fear, said he hoped the board would meet to

consider the players’ reinstate Wilkinson. The executive director, Terry O’Donnell, said the players could not dictate to the board, and the directors would meet within the next couple of days to discuss the matter. He said the players had “recommended” that Mr Wilkinson be reinstated in a “minor coaching role,” with Mr Taylor in charge and Mr Wilkinson responsible to him. ' ; Mr O’Donnell refused to discuss the reasons for the board’s decision last Friday to sack Mr Wilkinson, although he said it was not made lightly and was based on good evidence. The players had been told of the reason “in committee? at Monday night’s meeting. The “Waikato Times” newspaper believes that Mr Wilkinson’s outspoken criticisms of Mr O’Donnell and the board’s performance and their handling of sponsors was partly behind the move to sack him. One source said that while Mr Wilkinson was a good coach, the board could not control him.