YORK City’s new assistant manager, John Schofield, comments on the necessary requirements for success at League Two level left me somewhat baffled and despairing (The Press, July 28).

He rates fitness, strength and organisation ahead of football ability. So in theory a good manager could raid our local gym and produce a winning side from any of the fitter people there?

Surely this attitude is at the root of the failings of English sides at European and national levels.

Having taught for 37 years and coached the game throughout this time I came across this attitude so often, the classic “you’re too small son” seems to have been a prevalent comment by some of the coaches I came across.

Likewise, I still see so-called coaching at our local park involving fitness sessions for seven-year-olds. Surely ball work is what we desire.

I am certain Barcelona do not look at fitness and strength as priorities throughout their range of teams.

Perhaps Mr Schofield was referring to lower league football only, and thus he may put his experience towards gaining promotion for City.

I would just like to see a more enlightened vision.

Pete Brooks, Rawcliffe, York

 

THE common denominator applicable to the major football transfers within the Premier League this summer has not been “how sad players have been to leave” the clubs who developed their talents but “how much they have yearned to join the club” prepared to pay millions of pounds for their services.

Am I being cynical in thinking they never gave a thought to the millions to be accrued from the ridiculously exaggerated transfer fee?

I have no objection to someone trying to better themselves – that’s what careers are about – but please will players and agents try not to insult the public’s intelligence in the process.

Obviously people who can claim true loyalty to football are those spectators who year after year honour their allegiance in all weathers to clubs irrespective of their team’s performance, in many cases paying a fortune wholly unappreciated by owners who are not from these shores.

Peter Rickaby, West Park, Selby

 

IT is a sorry state of affairs if York City manager Russ Wilcox has only just realised he needs more creativity (The Press, July 27).

This should have been evident from the day he arrived at Bootham Crescent.

Last season the fans suffered from a lack of fire-power and nothing seems to have changed.

Money spent on backroom staff to coach the youngsters will have been wasted if we go back to the Conference.

That money would have been better spent on two proven goalscorers for this season. Going into the campaign with the present squad looks like another arduous season for the long-suffering supporters.

I wish I could get my season ticket money back now.

S Atkinson, Hamilton Drive, York 

 

LAST year I sent The Press photo evidence of the severely damaged pedestrian railed refuge in Layerthorpe, which was featured as the Soapbox Letter.

While walking down Layerthorpe recently I witnessed a car hitting the central pedestrian refuge resulting in extensive damage to the ironwork. The car, which was travelling away from me, didn’t stop and I wasn’t near enough to note the registration.

Again who pays? We do through escalating costs incurred in insurance premiums and expensive highway maintenance. Luckily no-one was on the refuge.

Driving standards continue to decline in tandem with a general lack of responsibility to the community.

Phillip Mindenhall, John Street, York

 

MIGRANTS causing a problem in the port of Calais are really a French problem, and nothing to do with this country.

When these migrants start attacking our nationals, and trying to get into our lorries to get into this country, then it is our problem.

The French police just seem to be sitting back, and basically doing nothing. Seeing as these migrants are on French soil, we really cannot do very much. We do not want more migrants or asylum seekers flocking into this crowded land. We just cannot take any more.

Tom Mitchell, Mendip Close, Huntington, York 

 

I WOULD like to express my disgust and sadness at the article about children’s charity offices in Priory Street being ransacked (The Press, July 15). It featured Nigel Poulton, a mentoring co-ordinator at The Island. I hope everything is back on track. I hope Nigel and his team can bounce back up and not let these idiots beat them.

Andrew Fair, Woodland Way, York