Declan Caddell clear 'there's big decisions to be made' as Crusaders slump continues
Crusaders manager Declan Caddell admits “there's big decisions to be made” after watching his side slip to 11th ahead of today’s clash against high-flying Larne.
The Crues’ defensive woes continued at Windsor Park last weekend as they lost out 4-0 to reigning champions Linfield – they’ve now conceded 40 goals in 19 league matches this season and sit eight points ahead of basement club Glenavon.
Caddell’s men, who previously showed impressive attacking quality, have also failed to score in their last four and face further tough tests in the coming weeks with Larne’s visit followed by a trip to rivals Cliftonville on Boxing Day.
"Mistakes are happening far too often for me and I've been saying that from the start of the season,” Caddell told the club’s media channel. “Ultimately they haven't improved...if mistakes are happening at the football club, people don't learn and things don't improve, then you have to make changes.
"Some players left everything on the pitch. It was probably epitomised by Josh Williamson again...that's the frustrating thing for me, a 17-year-old shows what he shows on the pitch given everything, and others don't.
"There's big decisions to be made and I've no issue making them because ultimately we aren't doing enough."
Crusaders have now lost 12 of 19 league matches this season and an immediate priority will be improving home form – no team has picked up fewer points at their own stadium than the north Belfast outfit (four).
They went behind after only five minutes last weekend when Lewis Barr put Kirk Millar’s delivery past his own goalkeeper before Matthew Fitzpatrick and Callumn Morrison’s double secured maximum points for Linfield.
"It's players who are willing to play for the badge and leave everything on the pitch,” he added. “The majority did (on Saturday) but decision-making at key moments has killed us once again.
"You can make mistakes and forgive them, but you can't forgive when the same thing happens over and over again.
"I have to make changes.
"There's no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We've two huge games coming up against Larne and Cliftonville.
"Confidence is low at the minute and it's up to me to pick that back up."