Everton news: Pundit lambasts ‘snowflakes’ after ‘massive’ confirmed reveal
Noel Whelan has backed Everton boss Frank Lampard after he questioned his side’s mentality in the wake of the 4-0 defeat against Crystal Palace.
The former Leeds striker, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the 43-year-old can’t continue to “sugarcoat” certain players’ “terrible” performances.
Everton fell 4-0 at Selhurst Park in the FA Cup quarter-final yesterday (20 March), sparking an angry reaction from the former Chelsea midfielder.
As quoted by the BBC post-match, Lampard claimed there is “only so much you can do to butter someone up to give them confidence” and insisted his side played at “70%”.
He also questioned whether players in his side had the right mentality to play for Everton.
When asked for his thoughts on Lampard’s comments, Whelan told Football Insider‘s Ewan Kingsbury: “I love it.
“He’s played at the top level, he’s won everything in the game, and at the end of the day he knows what it takes to play for a big club.
“He knows how to handle the pressure.
“He’s a winner with a real winner’s mentality. If there are players not willing to match that ambition and put in these terrible performances, then he’ll drag them out.
“You can’t sugarcoat everything as a manager. The players need to take responsibility, they’re grown men.
“Frank is learning a massive amount about certain players right now – who to trust, and who not to trust. I don’t mind his comments one bit, because it’s a business of winning – and there are too many snowflakes around right now.
“This is his livelihood on the line as well. These players let Rafa Benitez down, and now they’re letting Lampard down too.
“Maybe tough love is what they need.”
Everton sit just three points adrift of relegation danger.
The Toffees have won just once in the Premier League since Frank Lampard succeeded Rafa Benitez on 31 January.
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