An angry Berra

[kila]

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/ashamed-hearts-captain-christophe-berra-tells-players-to-stand-up-like-men-1-4844717

 

Ashamed Hearts captain Christophe Berra tells players to stand up like men

 

 

 

Hearts captain Christophe Berra admitted feeling ashamed at Friday’s 5-0 defeat by Livingston. Playing his 200th competitive game for the Edinburgh club, the 33-year-old said he wanted to forget the match but implored his colleagues to stand up and react like men.

Five goals inside a shambolic 14-minute spell near the end of the match left Hearts on the end of a trouncing in West Lothian. They had Arnaud Djoum sent off moments after falling 1-0 behind to a Craig Halkett penalty.

Dolly Menga’s solo goal, two strikes from Ryan Hardie and a late Shaun Byrne effort completed Livingston’s biggest ever victory against Hearts. Berra said he was beyond angry at full-time and admitted he and his team-mates should hang their heads in shame.

“It’s embarrassing. It’s just not good enough for Hearts and everyone should be embarrassed. It’s not what I wanted on my 200th appearance and it’s not one I’ll want to remember, I’ll try and forget it very quickly. Getting beaten in any game is hard to take but there are ways to lose.

“Most players were naive. It was schoolboy stuff not seeing a game out. We played into their hands after the penalty. Now we have to take it on the chin. It’s a great win in Livi’s history and it will go down in our history for the wrong reasons.

“We have to stand up and be counted and come back stronger. We have to take the criticism which we will rightly receive and get on with it. We have to be men. We had a good start to the season and then a dip but a couple of good results in the last few weeks and then this, which was underwhelming.

“Everything they hit seemed to go in during the second half. I’m ashamed of Friday. It brought us back down to earth. Last week against Motherwell we ground it out and showed a good team spirit to dig in and Friday was the opposite.”

Berra felt Djoum was harshly dismissed for a second booking for a foul on Menga but conceded that was not an acceptable excuse for Hearts. The opening goal came via a justified penalty award when the visiting goalkeeper Zdenek Zlamal wiped Halkett out inside the area.

“The first goal was a penalty – no doubt,” said Berra. “The sending off was soft when I see it again. He’s actually got the ball. Arnaud has maybe fallen on his private parts – that’s what he was holding, not his ankle.

“The red card is no excuse. We lost rubbish goals, we lost a couple playing into midfield where they are strong and they are all over you like a rash. We started the second half better and they weren’t causing problems. Then they get the penalty and everything fell for them. We were chasing the ball when we shouldn’t have.

“At 1-0 we should have stayed tight and tried to nick a goal at a place where it’s notoriously hard to get a result. Losing the ball in the middle of the goal when we were wide open was poor. There was a counter-attack from a free-kick and then a long ball.

“We knew how difficult this game would be. We gifted them their chances. I don’t think Arnaud deserved a first booking or the sending off but that’s not an excuse.

“We should hang our heads in shame and then try to bounce back. If we go to Pittodrie and win on Saturday then it could be a different outlook. We need to buck up our ideas.”

Berra is confident Hearts have the required character in their dressing room to recover. Defeat in West Lothian coupled with other results over the weekend leaves them sitting fifth in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

“When I came in I was past angry. Sometimes results go beyond that. There will be harsh words said by the press and the fans and rightly so. We need to buck up our ideas with three massive games to come before the break.

“Livingston have had a great season but the way we started the season we should be better than this. You have to earn the right to win games and we didn’t do that. Livingston deserve credit for a great win even if we under-performed.

“We’ve got some strong characters, even if we didn’t show that against Livi. We know what we are capable of. We defended for our lives against Motherwell and put bodies on the line, but Friday was open and individuals were playing within themselves.

“We chased the ball when we didn’t need to, especially after we went to ten men. It’s a night I’ll probably never forget but we have to move on.”

[Nookie Bear]

Well said, Christophe.

 

We probably need to start beating ourselves up over it and get on with responding positively.

[Dagger Is Back]

I’m glad he’s angry. Hope he’s not the only one

 

The other person who should be ashamed is the person who wrote that rambling pile of crap. Surely a real journalist can produce something that isn’t disjointed and gives the reader a headache.

 

Awful newspaper 

[Kezz]

After what the Tynecastle standers said to me on Thursday & Friday, yae's don't deseve to recover 

[GorgieRules22]

I’m not interested in words, I just want to see a response on Saturday. If we don’t get a reaction against Aberdeen I’m convinced Craig Levein has to go.

[Gershwin]

12 minutes ago, Kezz said:

After what the Tynecastle standers said to me on Thursday & Friday, yae's don't deseve to recover 

 

Go on...

 

[Inch Hearts]

I wonder if he's as angry or embarrassed as losing to Peterhead in pre-season LC group or drawing with Dunfermline? 

[Inch Hearts]

19 minutes ago, Kezz said:

After what the Tynecastle standers said to me on Thursday & Friday, yae's don't deseve to recover 

 

I feel there's a significant message in this post that I'm failing to understand. 

[Harry Potter]

20 minutes ago, Kezz said:

After what the Tynecastle standers said to me on Thursday & Friday, yae's don't deseve to recover 

What does this mean, standers being section N, maybe , yaes , could be us hearts fans, and

whats thursday to do with things.

[The_razors_edge]

12 minutes ago, GorgieRules22 said:

I’m not interested in words, I just want to see a response on Saturday. If we don’t get a reaction against Aberdeen I’m convinced Craig Levein has to go.

 

Indeed. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. I fully expect a positive reaction against aberdeen.

[Phil Dunphy]

Oh look, a Hearts player telling the press that they’ll get things right. 

 

That’s ****ing novel. 

[...a bit disco]

45 minutes ago, Kezz said:

After what the Tynecastle standers said to me on Thursday & Friday, yae's don't deseve to recover 

 

?

[SpikeDudley]

1 hour ago, Kezz said:

After what the Tynecastle standers said to me on Thursday & Friday, yae's don't deseve to recover 

 

[Boab]

Well said, Berra. Stand up and be counted. Not one mention of " oh, but the injuries...! "

Man up !

[dazajmbo]

Berra went mental at full time. 2 players stood up and tried to bite back at which point he told them both to get out of the dressing room and to buck thier ideas up.

 

I've worded that alot nicer than I imagine it to have gone. 

 

He was and still is raging. Levien didn't talk to any of the players until the bus got back and I believe he gave every single one of them a real dressing down as they got off the bus single file. 

 

I'd expect us to beat Aberdeen after whats gone on this week. 

[amadjambo]

3 minutes ago, dazajmbo said:

Berra went mental at full time. 2 players stood up and tried to bite back at which point he told them both to get out of the dressing room and to buck thier ideas up.

 

I've worded that alot nicer than I imagine it to have gone. 

 

He was and still is raging. Levien didn't talk to any of the players until the bus got back and I believe he gave every single one of them a real dressing down as they got off the bus single file. 

 

I'd expect us to beat Aberdeen after whats gone on this week. 

Not surprised to hear this. I expected Craig to let Berra deal with the dressing room. Top top professional is Christophe.

[Clark Griswold]

5 minutes ago, dazajmbo said:

Berra went mental at full time. 2 players stood up and tried to bite back at which point he told them both to get out of the dressing room and to buck thier ideas up.

 

I've worded that alot nicer than I imagine it to have gone. 

 

He was and still is raging. Levien didn't talk to any of the players until the bus got back and I believe he gave every single one of them a real dressing down as they got off the bus single file. 

 

I'd expect us to beat Aberdeen after whats gone on this week. 

Interesting. At least he cares enough to have a go. Maybe instil some of his passion and fight into the rest of them.

 

RE Levein, I really hope he hasnt lost the dressing room. Very interesting to see what happens at Sheepville.

[Henry. Henry.]

2 hours ago, Inch Hearts said:

 

I feel there's a significant message in this post that I'm failing to understand. 

 

Kezz was fair away with herself at Celtic qualifying in Europe.  A couple of Hearts fans on Twitter took exception to this.  

[Phil Dunphy]

24 minutes ago, dazajmbo said:

Berra went mental at full time. 2 players stood up and tried to bite back at which point he told them both to get out of the dressing room and to buck thier ideas up.

 

I've worded that alot nicer than I imagine it to have gone. 

 

He was and still is raging. Levien didn't talk to any of the players until the bus got back and I believe he gave every single one of them a real dressing down as they got off the bus single file. 

 

I'd expect us to beat Aberdeen after whats gone on this week. 

 

Curious as to who was biting back. 

[Phil Dunphy]

12 minutes ago, Henry. Henry. said:

 

Kezz was fair away with herself at Celtic qualifying in Europe.  A couple of Hearts fans on Twitter took exception to this.  

 

I’ve just seen the conversation in question. 

 

Jesus ****. 

[itsnomarooned]

39 minutes ago, amadjambo said:

Not surprised to hear this. I expected Craig to let Berra deal with the dressing room. Top top professional is Christophe.

I didn't see the game nor have I brought myself to watch the highlights so clearly don't have any notion of how individuals played. However, Berra was on the pitch and is our Captain, surely he's as complicit as the rest. No?

Edited December 17, 2018 by itsnomarooned

[Inch Hearts]

4 minutes ago, Phil Dunphy said:

 

I’ve just seen the conversation in question. 

 

Jesus ****. 

 

Well and truly lost. 

[Phil Dunphy]

9 minutes ago, Inch Hearts said:

 

Well and truly lost. 

 

She’s going about calling folk fascists now

 

I hope she gets the help she needs. 

[rudi must stay]

he was poor as well so he doesn't escape criticism either. We were open yes, but how is open a bad thing? I'd rather we were open than 'defended for our lives' at 1-0 v Motherwell.

[Bull's-eye]

Be better if he whipped out his Wanger and squirted special Custard all over the press, words are cheap and mean nothing to me.

 

I want action.

Edited December 17, 2018 by Oliver Twist

[heartmussel]

I’ve lost the will to live.

[Robbo51]

Do people saying they want action and not words not understand that teams have to do these press conferences and that the next game isn't until Saturday? 

[Pasquale for King]

6 minutes ago, Robbo51 said:

Do people saying they want action and not words not understand that teams have to do these press conferences and that the next game isn't until Saturday? 

Yeah and the press conference won’t be until Thursday/Friday so this wasn’t for the Aberdeen game is it? 

[Pasquale for King]

50 minutes ago, Phil Dunphy said:

 

Curious as to who was biting back. 

Mitchell and Maclean would be my guesses.

[JamboSean]

1 hour ago, dazajmbo said:

Berra went mental at full time. 2 players stood up and tried to bite back at which point he told them both to get out of the dressing room and to buck thier ideas up.

 

I've worded that alot nicer than I imagine it to have gone. 

 

He was and still is raging. Levien didn't talk to any of the players until the bus got back and I believe he gave every single one of them a real dressing down as they got off the bus single file. 

 

I'd expect us to beat Aberdeen after whats gone on this week. 

 

I'd expect nothing less. 

[Debut 4]

1 hour ago, dazajmbo said:

Berra went mental at full time. 2 players stood up and tried to bite back at which point he told them both to get out of the dressing room and to buck thier ideas up.

 

I've worded that alot nicer than I imagine it to have gone. 

 

He was and still is raging. Levien didn't talk to any of the players until the bus got back and I believe he gave every single one of them a real dressing down as they got off the bus single file. 

 

I'd expect us to beat Aberdeen after whats gone on this week. 

We need a couple of love/hate figures in the dressing room. 

 

Players respected as players but maybe not overly liked as a person because they say it as it is when required.  

 

Maybe this is Berra’s tipping point? 

 

Time to be less of a friend. 

Edited December 17, 2018 by Debut 4

[davemclaren]

1 hour ago, Henry. Henry. said:

 

Kezz was fair away with herself at Celtic qualifying in Europe.  A couple of Hearts fans on Twitter took exception to this.  

Call me out of touch but who is kezz?

[Rudy T]

I’m lost as too what any player could bite back on, they were an embarrassment to the badge. 

[Inch Hearts]

6 minutes ago, Rudy T said:

I’m lost as too what any player could bite back on, they were an embarrassment to the badge. 

 

He was just as poor was perhaps the message back? 

[OTT]

I'd bet Mitchell or Clare.

 

Regardless, its a welcome thing to hear but it shouldn't have happened in the first place. Will hopefully inject a bit of accountability into that dressing room that clearly has been lacking. 

[kimosavi]

Thats all we hear FFS The squad and club are great with words in the press and social media we learn, we move on blah blah blah 

 

I'd have had trashed that fecking dressing room and a few fellow pros after Friday and hounded out the shitebags in our squad 

 

Stop talking a good game and show some fecking pride in that Jersey you wear!!!!!!!!

 

Berra, Dunne and Naismith are the only players to me that look like they actually care 

 

I want to see players losing their shit when a team mate gives away posssesion for the 5th time, i wanna see players shouting at the fans to Gee them up and i want players getting angry with each other for bottling a 50/50, i want midfielders running 50 yards for a lost cause and kicking advertisement boards after a goal 

 

I want passion, heart and pride 

 

This group of pansies are too busy taking pictures of themselves on fecking Instagram or going to nandos for lunch in their 600 quid trainers and jog pants that look like lassies tights thinking they've got a side line as some pounsey model 

 

 

[JudyJudyJudy]

Talk is cheap. action needed

[feedthefox]

Not sure there’s any more he could have said, I’m not going to applaud him but I do respect him and was particularly glad he didn’t trot out the injuries excuse at any point. What he’s said will take on more resonance after Saturday’s game. 

[Finlay James]

20 minutes ago, kimosavi said:

Thats all we hear FFS The squad and club are great with words in the press and social media we learn, we move on blah blah blah 

 

I'd have had trashed that fecking dressing room and a few fellow pros after Friday and hounded out the shitebags in our squad 

 

Stop talking a good game and show some fecking pride in that Jersey you wear!!!!!!!!

 

Berra, Dunne and Naismith are the only players to me that look like they actually care 

 

I want to see players losing their shit when a team mate gives away posssesion for the 5th time, i wanna see players shouting at the fans to Gee them up and i want players getting angry with each other for bottling a 50/50, i want midfielders running 50 yards for a lost cause and kicking advertisement boards after a goal 

 

I want passion, heart and pride 

 

This group of pansies are too busy taking pictures of themselves on fecking Instagram or going to nandos for lunch in their 600 quid trainers and jog pants that look like lassies tights thinking they've got a side line as some pounsey model 

 

 

 

100% this, close thread

[maroonlegions]

6 hours ago, Kezz said:

After what the Tynecastle standers said to me on Thursday & Friday, yae's don't deseve to recover 

 

[maroonlegions]

49 minutes ago, OTT said:

I'd bet Mitchell or Clare.

 

Regardless, its a welcome thing to hear but it shouldn't have happened in the first place. Will hopefully inject a bit of accountability into that dressing room that clearly has been lacking. 

 

These  two need emptied, no bottle, no passion and to lightweight .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dagger Is Back]

58 minutes ago, kimosavi said:

Thats all we hear FFS The squad and club are great with words in the press and social media we learn, we move on blah blah blah 

 

I'd have had trashed that fecking dressing room and a few fellow pros after Friday and hounded out the shitebags in our squad 

 

Stop talking a good game and show some fecking pride in that Jersey you wear!!!!!!!!

 

Berra, Dunne and Naismith are the only players to me that look like they actually care 

 

I want to see players losing their shit when a team mate gives away posssesion for the 5th time, i wanna see players shouting at the fans to Gee them up and i want players getting angry with each other for bottling a 50/50, i want midfielders running 50 yards for a lost cause and kicking advertisement boards after a goal 

 

I want passion, heart and pride 

 

This group of pansies are too busy taking pictures of themselves on fecking Instagram or going to nandos for lunch in their 600 quid trainers and jog pants that look like lassies tights thinking they've got a side line as some pounsey model 

 

 

 

Jamie Hamill kicked hoardings and even upended an opposition manager - could you imagine if he’d poleaxed Lennon.

 

Just saying.

 

I get your point though. My issue is that a major thrust of our recruitment drive was getting the right characters into the dressing room and making sure they fit.

 

Not sure we can claim we’ve achieved that. We’ve got a batch of old pros like Hughes, Berra, MacLean and Naismith who need to step up to the plate.

 

No idea what’s gone wrong from the start of the season but it’s easy to act like a team when all is well. 

 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

3 minutes ago, Dagger Is Back said:

 

Jamie Hamill kicked hoardings and even upended an opposition manager - could you imagine if he’d poleaxed Lennon.

 

Just saying.

 

I get your point though. My issue is that a major thrust of our recruitment drive was getting the right characters into the dressing room and making sure they fit.

 

Not sure we can claim we’ve achieved that. We’ve got a batch of old pros like Hughes, Berra, MacLean and Naismith who need to step up to the plate.

 

No idea what’s gone wrong from the start of the season but it’s easy to act like a team when all is well. 

 

 

 

 

Your last paragraph-

 

Injuries to key players, loss of confidence and form. 

 

I agree with your post but the answer to your question is obvious. 

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, kimosavi said:

Thats all we hear FFS The squad and club are great with words in the press and social media we learn, we move on blah blah blah 

 

I'd have had trashed that fecking dressing room and a few fellow pros after Friday and hounded out the shitebags in our squad 

 

Stop talking a good game and show some fecking pride in that Jersey you wear!!!!!!!!

 

Berra, Dunne and Naismith are the only players to me that look like they actually care 

 

I want to see players losing their shit when a team mate gives away posssesion for the 5th time, i wanna see players shouting at the fans to Gee them up and i want players getting angry with each other for bottling a 50/50, i want midfielders running 50 yards for a lost cause and kicking advertisement boards after a goal 

 

I want passion, heart and pride 

 

This group of pansies are too busy taking pictures of themselves on fecking Instagram or going to nandos for lunch in their 600 quid trainers and jog pants that look like lassies tights thinking they've got a side line as some pounsey model 

 

 

 

 

Berra defenantly does not have a sideline as a model. ?

 

Get your point tho, you can put the  character of guys like Clare and Mitchell are under the microscope, as well as the general ability of our players who have stepped in. 

[Phil Dunphy]

4 hours ago, Robbo51 said:

Do people saying they want action and not words not understand that teams have to do these press conferences and that the next game isn't until Saturday? 

 

This could be a total guess, but perhaps there are people in the Hearts support who’re absolutely fed up hearing players telling us that they’re going to get things right, only to not back that up with any action. 

 

I’d rather Berra said **** all to the press and focused his whole energy into making sure that collection of imposters and wage thieves don’t ever think about downing tools like they did on Friday night ever again.  

[Nookie Bear]

12 minutes ago, WeeChuck'sHeed said:

 

 

Your last paragraph-

 

Injuries to key players, loss of confidence and form. 

 

I agree with your post but the answer to your question is obvious. 

 

That does not explain chucking it. Most of us are fully aware of the impact of those injuries but those players gave up on Friday and *that* is what they need to be sorting out. 

[Robbo51]

16 minutes ago, Phil Dunphy said:

 

This could be a total guess, but perhaps there are people in the Hearts support who’re absolutely fed up hearing players telling us that they’re going to get things right, only to not back that up with any action. 

 

I’d rather Berra said **** all to the press and focused his whole energy into making sure that collection of imposters and wage thieves don’t ever think about downing tools like they did on Friday night ever again.  

First point 100% agree with you.

2nd point he can't say "**** all to the press" as they are compulsory interviews. 

[Nookie Bear]

21 minutes ago, Robbo51 said:

First point 100% agree with you.

2nd point he can't say "**** all to the press" as they are compulsory interviews. 

 

In fairness, telling the press he is saying nothing is a story in itself. 

[maroonnicky63]

Berra was captain and part of the losing team and he is just as guilty as anyone else, so to come out with this means nothing to the people who travelled through to Livingston expecting a decent performance. Do your talking on the pitch and don't try and cover up a very very poor performance

[Dagger Is Back]

1 hour ago, WeeChuck'sHeed said:

 

 

Your last paragraph-

 

Injuries to key players, loss of confidence and form. 

 

I agree with your post but the answer to your question is obvious. 

 

Actually I meant the character of the players not team results. Team results I will 'blame' on the things you quote but that is no reason for a lack of effort and fight