John Askey's explosive comments on 'selfish' Hartlepool United players

Askey made a couple of changes to his side for their final home game of the season against Barrow with a number of notable names missing from the team sheet.

In their absence, Hartlepool were able to sign off their home campaign with a 3-1 win over Barrow after goals from Jack Hamilton, Jamie Sterry and Connor Jennings cancelled out Ged Garner’s first half opener.

Sadly for Hartlepool, however, their result was not enough to prevent them dropping back into the National League as their relegation was confirmed at full-time.

Askey had suggested to The Mail he would consider making changes within his squad and look to players who 'want to play at the football club.'

That saw captain Nicky Featherstone and midfielder Tom Crawford return to the side, alongside goalscorer Hamilton, with Dan Kemp, Mohamad Sylla and Josh Umerah dropping out.

Kemp, Askey confirmed, missed out with an injury whilst Sylla was left out altogether and Umerah on the bench.

Wes McDonald and Oliver Finney were other notable absentees from the squad, Finney also said to have had what Askey described as a ‘genuine injury.’

But Askey did not hold back when questioning the attitude of some of his players after their relegation was confirmed, admitting he has met a number of selfish players since being appointed as a manager.

“If people don’t want to play then I would prefer them just to say they don’t want to play,” Askey revealed to The Mail.

“You wouldn’t think that certain players get paid for playing. You’d think as though we’re doing them a favour by allowing them to play for us.

“I’ve met some of the most selfish individuals I’ve ever met in football. Whether that’s society now and people are getting a little bit more selfish I don’t know but that’s why we’re in the position we’re in because there’s some people who just think about themselves.

Askey continued: “How you can do that when you’ve got, like today, 4,500 supporters coming, when you’re virtually down, and you think more about yourself than you do other people.

“They’re not the type of people we need in this football club and they’re not the type of people I want to work with.”

Sylla had recently been missing from Hartlepool’s squad during their Good Friday success over Grimsby Town with Askey revealing the French midfielder was not in the right mental state to compete.

And Askey admitted to The Mail that Sylla’s decision has not helped Hartlepool in recent weeks.

“It doesn’t help one little bit,” said Askey.

“I hope he gets what he deserves. He thinks he deserves a lot, so we’ll see.”

Sylla is one of several players heading out of contract at the Suit Direct Stadium this summer with his future at the club now, seemingly, at an end following Askey’s remarks and with Hartlepool now relegated from the Football League.