Manager Criticizes Squad After ‘Embarrassing Season’
Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens has delivered a scathing critique of his team following what he described as an “embarrassing season.” In a candid interview, Wellens claimed that he had wasted “10 months of my career on them,” highlighting the poor performance and lack of ambition from his squad.
The Grecians managed to avoid relegation from League One in dramatic fashion on the final weekend of the season. They drew 2-2 with Burton Albion, finishing three points ahead of Exeter City, who lost 2-1 to Bradford. This result secured their place in the division for another year.
Despite the relief of staying in League One, Wellens was far from satisfied with how the team approached the final stages of the campaign. He pointed out that the side settled for a draw knowing that Exeter were losing, which could have led to a dramatic last-minute turnaround that would have seen the Grecians fall into the relegation zone.
Wellens described the team’s approach as indicative of a “weak group” and criticized the players for celebrating with their families on the pitch after the match. He emphasized that the season was a disgrace, particularly in the final 15 minutes when the team failed to show any desire to win the game.
“The manner we did it, not for me, the last 15 minutes were a disgrace passing it around the back, we did not want to win the game,” Wellens said. “In football you never know, Exeter could score two goals in a minute. It kind of sums the group up.”
He went on to highlight several issues within the squad, including a lack of leadership and poor defensive performances. Wellens noted that the team conceded goals from set pieces and often struggled to maintain focus during critical moments of the game.
“We have a weak group, really, really weak. We had relegation written all over us, we’ve had to wait for somebody else to get a result for us. We concede from another set play because we lack leadership.”
Wellens also criticized the team’s inability to maintain consistency throughout the season. He pointed out that they conceded numerous goals just before half-time and again after 85 minutes, resulting in a loss of around 20 points in the final stages of matches.
“Clap the fans because they’ve earned it. They’ve paid their money all season to come and watch us home and away, they deserve to be clapped. But then don’t be celebrating with your family, get off the pitch, it’s been an embarrassing season.”
Manager’s Frustration with Player Performance
Wellens’ comments echoed those of Wycombe boss Michael Duff, who had previously criticized his own team for wasting 10 months of their lives after a poor end-of-season form. The Leyton Orient manager admitted that he felt similarly about his squad’s efforts, pointing to a lack of intent and commitment throughout the campaign.
“Too many players that have wasted 10 months of their career, wasted my time,” Wellens continued. “I’ve had one year of my managerial career that I’ve wasted. Then they’ve wasted the supporters’ time, we’ve not given them enough days to turn up to, not enough good days.”
Despite the overall disappointment, Wellens acknowledged a few exceptions within the squad. He highlighted the performances and effort of Dom Ballard, who finished as League One’s top scorer with 23 goals. Ballard shared the Red Boot prize with Swansea’s Zan Vipotnik, an award that recognizes the leading goalscorer across all three divisions of the English Football League (EFL) during the campaign.
Ballard’s achievement was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult season for Leyton Orient. His consistent goal-scoring and dedication stood out as a rare positive in a campaign marked by inconsistency and underperformance.
