Playing the blame game? Yes, it’s straight from the Steve Foster school of captaincy! Well, that’s according to the pages of Shoot! magazine in 1982/83, where Fozzie is in no way inclined to suggest that the buck stop stops with him:
Composure and commitment – those are the qualities Brighton need in their fight to secure a First Division future.
Skipper Steve Foster, who no one can accuse of a lack of effort, believes the work-rate has not been up to scratch in Brighton’s battle against the drop.
The England central defender warns: “We need to be more composed, even if we add the commitment. It’s no good playing 100 miles an hour football in the First Division. You have to be cool, calm and calculated.”
As for effort, Foster criticises certain team-mates for producing below par displays in that area. He says: “I have the feeling we could have done better and given more, particularly away from home. I don’t intend to name names, but the players themselves know who I mean.
“We have been put under a lot of pressure at home by our dreadful away results. And that’s daft because our away form was good last season.”
Foster believes Brighton’s new attacking approach away from home is responsible for the need for greater effort.
“Certain players have not been fully committed within the new system.”
Foster sees improved form by his club as the key to his own prospects of earning further England international honours.
“I think someone has told Bobby Robson I had retired,” jokes Foster. “But seriously, I don’t think it’s likely I shall be chosen while Brighton are struggling near the bottom of the table.
“We have got to improve, climb the League and start playing consistent, successful football.
Then I might have a chance of adding to my three England caps.” Foster denies he has been put into the international wilderness because of any question marks against his own form.
“A player knows when he is playing well and when he is struggling,” says the Brighton man.
“1 believe I have been playing as well as before I went to Spain. But I didn’t expect Brighton to struggle
near the bottom.“All I can say is, I hope to change Bobby Robson’s mind.” But any disappointment Foster may hide at his England exclusion since the World Cup will not be allowed to interfere with Brighton’s important last few months of the season.
“This club worked very hard to get into the First Division and now we’re here, we want to stay, not let it all slip.
“We have about three months to start getting the right results. If they don’t come soon, we could be back in the Second Division next season.”
* Here’s a reminder that The Goldstone Wrap will finish as a daily blog in 100 days’ time, on its 500th post. That’s June 24th 2014. There’s no significant reason – I haven’t even run out of archive material yet – it just feels like a good place to stop! All The Goldstone Wrap archives will remain online, and articles will continue to appear – only not on a daily basis.
The Goldstone Wrap 