Follow Jackie's example

Aug 17 2008 By Gavin Berry

JOHN HUGHES blasted his sloppy Falkirk side and ordered his players to follow Jackie McNamara's lead as they bid to recover from back-to-back defeats.

Michael Higdon hit two for the Bairns at Easter Road but it wasn't enough as slack defending cost them dear.

Gaffer Yogi knows exactly why his team are pointless - and just how they should go about picking themselves up.

He said: "You can't defend and concede goals like we did and expect to take something from games.

"Jackie was our best player despite big Higgy scoring twice. Jackie came to us and has sort of revitalised himself.

He's enjoying his football and it shows.

"It's the values he takes on the pitch.

He has played for Celtic and in the Champions League and goes out there and plays for himself because he's full of pride and for Falkirk.

"One or two of them should take that example off him. A couple think they're something and forget to go out with the values Jackie has."

But Hughes (right) insisted it's not just his defenders who have to take a look at themselves. He said: "I'm not having a go at my back four - I'm having a go at my whole team from the front.

"In the lower leagues you might get away with conceding an early goal and getting back into it but to do it twice is a sin. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb.

"We played in a match that was enjoyable but didn't do enough. We could have got something out of it but it would have been an injustice with the way we defended. We're better than we showed and I expect better."