Lee Cattermole has claimed there are individuals inside Gateshead who “don’t want the team to move forward” after his side fell to a narrow home defeat against National League rivals Worthing.
After a troubled week behind the scenes that saw key shareholder Mark Nellist step down from his role as a director and the Heed players and staff not receiving their wages for September, thoughts turned towards on-field matters on Saturday afternoon as Cattermole’s side looked to end a run of nine games without a win.
Improved performance but no reward
The Heed produced a much-improved performance as they showed great energy and intensity that they have in recent weeks - but they were left without a point once again as their visitors continued their unexpected push for the play-offs.
Jordy Hiwula had given Gateshead some hope of claiming a point after his first goal for the club cancelled out an opener from Jack Wadham.
However, a deflected effort midway through the second-half from Rebels substitute Bailey Smith handed the points to the Rebels and that left Cattermole to reflect on the troubling situation at the International Stadium and make some major claims about the club as a whole.
Manager calls for unity
Speaking after the defeat he told the club website: “Everyone has to be united, this club is nowhere near that, nowhere near that. The club is nowhere near where it should be, it’s been disappointing. Press goes out about the players wages not being paid. That’s disappointing but it happens.”
“But it goes from before that, well before that. We need to figure out who wants to be part of the new regime or whatever you want to call it and find out who wants to be part of it.”
“If we do, we will get the club going because a club like Gateshead has been really competitive in certain spells and that is when everyone is united and everyone is together.”
“I’ve been fully aware for the whole time I’ve been here, that isn’t the case. I’ve been managing it, I’ve been dealing with it, I’ve been trying to put a positive spin on it and prepare the team.”
“But ultimately, there are people in this building that don’t want the team to move forward and I know that. I can feel it, I see it and the clearer that we can be, that’s staff, players, fans, we might start winning games but it can’t happen, it doesn’t just happen.”
“We are punching above our weight in this league, we are playing at home with a crowd that can make a noise. At the minute, they aren’t with us, people in the club won’t be with us and there’s a bit of a crossover.”
He continued: “There’s been a lot of change and the moment we iron that out and get it going and get everyone aligned, so there’s no hiding place. Because what happens when you have a struggled, you have people that want to move it forward and other people play hide and seek.”
“That happens in every club up and down the country. I’ve been part of it, I’m now trying to lead it and I need every staff member on board so we can go forward.”
“If they are not, the players can feel it, staff members feel it and once we do iron it out, we might have a chance of winning some games.”
Match details and mounting pressure
Cattermole’s men had shown some positive signs on Saturday but found themselves behind when Worthing defender Wadham was left unmarked from a free-kick and flicked a header beyond Pete Jameson.
To their credit, Gateshead reacted positively and cast aside their off-field issues by getting themselves back on level-terms just before the half-hour mark.
The goal came as on-loan Plymouth Argyle winger Freddie Issaka released Hiwula in on goal and he produced a cool finish to rack up his first goal for the club.
After swapping chances in the opening 15 minutes of the second-half, it was the visitors that always looked to most likely to grab the third goal of the game - and that arrived with 20 minutes remaining.
Gateshead were left to rue their misfortune as Worthing substitute Smith found some space in the right-hand side of the area before seeing a shot from a narrow angle deflect off a Heed defender before looping over the helpless James.
Despite some late pressure, Gateshead were unable to find an equaliser as they suffered their ninth defeat in their last ten games and now lie eight points from safety.
Cattermole insisted his players deserved more from the game and insisted they can improve their results over the coming weeks.
He said: “I thought we were really competitive in the game and I thought we definitely deserved something out of the game. We conceded a poor first goal from a set-piece but the lads played really well in the first-half. In the second-half, they had to change their shape, change what they were doing to control what we were doing.”
“We were the stronger team and then we went behind and kept pushing. The lads did brilliant and no doubt the lads can win games of football - but not just quite at the moment.”
