Gillingham have to improve their discipline says boss Martin Allen after latest red card, at Northampton Town
by Luke Cawdell
Martin Allen had no complaints
about Charlie Allen’s late dismissal at Northampton and accepts
that Gillingham’s discipline must improve.
The Gills have had four players
sent-off so far and manager Allen hopes that the younger players
seeing red will learn from their actions.
Allen (pictured) said: "We will
have to slightly improve the discipline and that goes without
saying but it’s the younger players who are getting caught out.
"It is my job to help them and teach
them and for them to learn. It’s not our job to castigate them and
smash them with stupid fines."
Charlie Allen was sent-off after
picking up two yellow cards in five minutes, both for fouls. His
sending-off came days after Danny Jackman was given a straight red
for a tackle at the weekend and after earlier reds for youngsters
Bradley Dack and Tom Flanagan.
Allen said: "Dack, Allen, and
Flanagan, they are only young boys and are learning their way
through it. With experience, that better decision-making will
come.
"It’s the same as the other boys as
well, they can learn from it and try and improve on it."
Reflecting on Charlie Allen’s red
card, the Gills boss said: "The first tackle he was trying to get
the ball and it was probably 60-40 against but such is his desire
and hunger to get it, it probably deserved a yellow.
"For the second, he ran about 45 yards to close that ball down.
We all know he shouldn’t have made that tackle. You have to say
Charlie was wrong to put his foot in like that but you have to hold
your hands up to the boy and say ‘great effort and commitment’. He
is going to miss a game and he will be devastated but he played
well, though."
04/10/12
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