BLACKWELL BACKS WARRING PLAYERS: Sporting Life - Football | FA Cup Fifth Round, Newcastle v Chelsea, Transfer News, Live Scores, Barclays Premiership, SPL, Championship, European News, Fixtures, Results, Tables
Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell has urged his players to carry on rowing.
Blackwell watched Gary Kelly and Sean Gregan become embroiled in a bitter war of words early in his side's 3-0 championship defeat at promotion-chasing Wigan.
It is also understood there was an altercation that took place in the Leeds dressing room at half-time, although Blackwell was eager to play down such suggestions.
However, he feels the passion displayed by Kelly and Gregan during their on-pitch bust-up is acceptable as he said: "They want to give everything they can for this football club. I want players to nail other players if they are not doing it. I don't think it should always be left to the manager and coaches to do that kind of thing. You need players to do that sometimes."
Blackwell then joked his way through the alleged dressing-room incident, although riot police were seen racing into the tunnel as both sets of players left the pitch.
But Blackwell added: "I can't understand it. The policeman shot down there after I told him I was going to put sugar in his tea! But there was nothing went on. Players are players. They just get on and have a few words and that's it."
Blackwell could have no complaints with the final result, one which severely damages Leeds' play-off hopes.
They were behind in just the 10th minute when Nathan Ellington scored his 19th goal of the season from just 22 matches, and thereafter the writing was on the wall.
Although Wigan spurned a glut of further first-half chances, they effectively sealed the points 10 minutes after the interval, with Jason Roberts claiming his 16th of the campaign after appearing to get a decisive touch on a goalbound header from Lee McCulloch.
The one-sided victory was completed 15 minutes from time when Alan Mahon drilled home a stunning 30-yarder to leave Blackwell conceding: "I take my hat off to Wigan.
"They were better than us and thoroughly deserved to win the game. As much as it hurts me to say it they were a cut above.
"But I said before the game that we were coming here to see how far we had come in the last six months.
"We now know we have a long way to go because Wigan have set a benchmark we now have to attain."
Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell has urged his players to carry on rowing.
Blackwell watched Gary Kelly and Sean Gregan become embroiled in a bitter war of words early in his side's 3-0 championship defeat at promotion-chasing Wigan.
It is also understood there was an altercation that took place in the Leeds dressing room at half-time, although Blackwell was eager to play down such suggestions.
However, he feels the passion displayed by Kelly and Gregan during their on-pitch bust-up is acceptable as he said: "They want to give everything they can for this football club. I want players to nail other players if they are not doing it. I don't think it should always be left to the manager and coaches to do that kind of thing. You need players to do that sometimes."
Blackwell then joked his way through the alleged dressing-room incident, although riot police were seen racing into the tunnel as both sets of players left the pitch.
But Blackwell added: "I can't understand it. The policeman shot down there after I told him I was going to put sugar in his tea! But there was nothing went on. Players are players. They just get on and have a few words and that's it."
Blackwell could have no complaints with the final result, one which severely damages Leeds' play-off hopes.
They were behind in just the 10th minute when Nathan Ellington scored his 19th goal of the season from just 22 matches, and thereafter the writing was on the wall.
Although Wigan spurned a glut of further first-half chances, they effectively sealed the points 10 minutes after the interval, with Jason Roberts claiming his 16th of the campaign after appearing to get a decisive touch on a goalbound header from Lee McCulloch.
The one-sided victory was completed 15 minutes from time when Alan Mahon drilled home a stunning 30-yarder to leave Blackwell conceding: "I take my hat off to Wigan.
"They were better than us and thoroughly deserved to win the game. As much as it hurts me to say it they were a cut above.
"But I said before the game that we were coming here to see how far we had come in the last six months.
"We now know we have a long way to go because Wigan have set a benchmark we now have to attain."
