Cambridge United head coach Neil Harris unable to ‘trust’ players following League One relegation

Neil Harris did not hold back with his analysis of his Cambridge United squad after their relegation was confirmed this afternoon.

Today’s 2-1 defeat at Burton Albion ended United’s four-season stay in League One, with a campaign in English football’s fourth tier ahead of them following next weekend’s final game against champions Birmingham City.

And Harris, who returned to the club for a second stint as head coach in February, does not believe that he can ‘trust’ the current group.

“You get relegated for a reason. You get relegated because you’ve just not been good enough over the course of a season,” he said.

“As a manager and head coach, you do have to rely on your players and I can’t trust the players.

“At the start of the second half we changed our shape and I can’t trust them to do what they need to do.

“We can’t run as a team, so we can’t defend one-on-one. We’re not good enough in the final third to have a killer instinct and we can’t defend our box – what chance have you got?

“It does hurt and the reality is when I took over I knew where we were going to be at because I knew the level of the group. I watch games and I see it really quickly.

“The level over the course of the season has been relegation level. You can’t hide away from that and I can’t sugar-coat it. I’m not prepared to do that because I speak honestly.”

Yet despite his obvious frustrations, the U’s boss had a defiant message for supporters.

He added: “I’m disappointed for the football club and the fanbase. I think it’s important I apologise on behalf of the football club for a disappointing season.

“All I can say is we’re going to be a better football club in a few months time than we are today, that’s for sure.

“To the fanbase that have followed us up and down the country and supported us again today – and have supported me since I came back – we’ll be better moving forward.

“Sometimes you have to take a step back to take two steps forward and that’s what we plan to do as a football club.”