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The situation is that we have just had a 45 minute long meeting with the whole of the squad. I have said in no uncertain terms what I demand on and off the pitch. As football players we have a responsibility to conduct ourselves in the proper manner at all times and we haven't done in the last week.
People can label us as this and label us as that but what I can assure people is that I have made my views perfectly clear to everybody today. Everybody including the whole of the backroom staff, in the type of behaviour I require when we are at the football club, when we are training at the football club and when we are out socialising or out doing other bits and pieces. I am thinking the message has got through and hopefully it will have done.
It really detracts from what we should be talking about to be honest. That is the frustrating thing that I would have hoped this would have been a nice press conference, where we could have all said some nice things about the players and the way the club is going at the minute. But the distraction is we are having to talk about something that to an extent, a large extent, is out of my hands.
The players know exactly what I feel about it and I am hoping that these instances have pre-warned the other players that it can't and won't happen again. I can't promise because I can't look after the players 24-7 but I can do what I have done today and I feel that I have got it right.
PN - Has Gary got a problem perhaps that is something that he needs to look at and address in the future?
GA - I hope not, possibly being young and excitable is a key with Gary. I actually haven't spoken to Gary on a one-to-one basis, I am due to do that after this conference now. Because I wanted to get the training done when people are in the right frame of mind so this thing is going to be waiting until later on this afternoon as soon as I have done this.
So I will speak to Gary and find out what issues he has and why he is getting into trouble when I don't think there is that necessity to do so. What Gary has got to do is try to get in the first-team, I think that the best way to get in the first-team is to train hard, play hard and live right off the pitch. Gary might find that some of the things he is doing off the pitch might be contributing to the fact he is not getting on the pitch.
PN - Will Gary be considered for selection this coming weekend?
GA - That is something I will decide when I have spoken to Gary and heard his side of things. I can make a few decisions after speaking to other people on what we feel we should do but at the minute I want to speak to Gary and hear what he has got to say for himself.
PN - More broadly Greg, at which point can you as manager or the club do something about this to prevent this from happening and what point does it begin the responsiblity solely lies with the individual?
GA - I am taking responsibility again and I have just taken responsibility and I have acted like I think a manager should act. That starts from now because I have just said what I have had to say for 45 minutes and they know the standards I require and they know what I will and will not accept at this football club. I don't think anybody will step out of that line again, they are in big trouble if they do.
What we have is a strict no drinking code 48 hours before the games. What they do in their spare time, I am telling them to be responsible and act properly. They are young players, they are young men and what we can't do is tell them how to live their lives. What we can say is that you need to identify the fact that you are professional sportsmen and your body is your future.
What we have sort of said now, is we have introduced today as well all the other little bits and pieces which are going to stay in-house. Is we have said that we don't want players drinking on a weekend if there is a midweek game, so that is one thing that has come clear.
To be fair if the players look after themselves, win games, train right, prepare right, act responsibly when they are out drinking in town, or socialising, there are no rules that need to be enforced. If they step out of that line then I need to make the rules myself and I need to be stricter and firmer on what is allowed and what isn't allowed, and they are no under no illusion of what I expect from now on in.