O’Connor slams shocking end to the season

VIKINGS sporting director Terry O’Connor has branded Sunday’s defeat to Barrow as the worst performance of the season.

Speaking after Widnes’ season was comprehensively brought to an end in last weekend’s 38-0 loss, O’Connor said: “Shocking is the only way to describe Sunday’s performance, it is probably the worst we have played all year.

“When you get into the play-offs, it is all about putting in a top performance but the players just didn’t turn up.

“The sad thing is that despite everything that has happened this year, they played in the Northern Rail Cup and then got into the play-offs but simply didn’t perform on either occasion. It just isn’t good enough for this club.”

The former Great Britain star suggested that many of the current players’ futures may now lie away from the club after he criticised the collective level of performance throughout the season.

“It has been a very difficult season, we lost key personnel to injury at important times but, throughout the year, we lost a number of games with sub-standard performances that were simply unacceptable at this level.

“Too many times this season we haven’t been prepared to defend properly and when you look at the best teams in the competition they are all built on solid defence.”

O’Connor warned that work needs to be done if any of the current squad are to achieve their aspirations of playing in Super League.

“The players need to have a good look at themselves during the off-season, their futures are in their own hands.

“I want to see a reaction from the players, I want to see more professionalism from them.

“I have told every one of them that playing in the Super League is 10 times tougher than the Championship and the players have got to realise that, otherwise they will get left behind.

“I can assure everyone involved with this club that this won’t be the same team that goes into Super League if we get there in two years.

“So if they have got aspirations to play at the top level, they have got to earn it.

“The most disappointing thing over the last two seasons is that on paper we have had a very strong team but they simply haven’t played well enough.”

O’Connor paid tribute to the club’s youth system, which has seen a number of young players break into the first team this season.

“When Steve (O’Connor) came in, there was no real youth system in place but, in the two-and-a-half years he has been here, the turnaround has been unbelievable, we have some fantastic players coming through at this club.

“I have been inundated with enquiries from Super League sides wanting to sign our youngsters but the fact that they all want to stay here shows that the club is moving in the right direction.”