Dicks blasts players' performance

Dicks said he had no qualms about showing players the exit

Grays Athletic manager Julian Dicks has criticised his players' fitness and attitude following his side's 3-0 home defeat by Altrincham on Saturday.

Dicks was in charge of the Blue Square Premier club for the first time, but saw them slump to their sixth defeat in the opening 10 games of the season.

"If they give me 110% commitment and we get beaten, then we get beaten and I can handle that," he said.

"But when people don't try then I can't accept that," he added.

"I understand that certain players play at this level because they're not good enough to go to higher levels.

"But in all football, if you give 110% it goes such a long way, but apart from Daryl Robson, who came on, none of them did that."

I've told them, 'if you don't want to play here, come and see me and I'll get rid of you'

Grays boss Julian Dicks

Dicks also slammed the lack of fitness and application shown by his side.

"They're so unfit it is ridiculous," he said.

"I understand what happened before I came here, but as a footballer you take it on yourself to do extra training, but none of them do.

"I said to them 'I'll stay here till six o'clock at night on the training ground if you want to do extra training' - and I haven't had one of them come to me."

Dicks added he had no problem in showing any of the current Grays squad the door should he not see an improvement in their attitude.

"I've told them, 'if you don't want to play here, come and see me and I'll get rid of you,'" he said.

"I haven't got a problem with that and I'll get somebody else in who wants to play football."

Grays currently sit 21st in the Blue Square Premier table.