'Details matter' - Crawley Town head coach sheds light on reported leaks before Gillingham game

The Reds drew 0-0 with Salford City at the Broadfield Stadium to finish 22nd in League Two and a point clear of the relegation zone.

Kazim-Richards has alluded to the press on multiple occasions since his appointment that he would reveal details about internal ongoings once the season had concluded.

The particular incident in question was from the Reds boss first game in charge - a 2-0 win against Gillingham at the Broadfield – in which reports suggested the hosts’ set-up was leaked to their opposition.

“Gillingham had our whole team on the Thursday,” Kazim-Richards revealed. “So, when people sometimes have got a lot to say and don't actually understand what's going on, you've got to try and work with your hands tied behind your back on your first two, three days of being in.

“And then you turn up to the game and you're thinking to yourself, ‘hold on a minute. I've been in this game a long time, whether [a] coach, player - whatever.’ Gillingham haven't played a back four all season. [They] line up with a back four.

“It's a bit sceptical. It's a bit weird. And during the game, you're not really understanding. It's like, ‘OK, we’ll still deal with it, whatever it is. But then after the game, you find out that they had, and it's nothing against them. You’d take it, right? If you're being given it, you're going to take it.

He added: “At this level and up, details matter, and all players need to understand the details matter. The details are what's going to win you the games. The details are what's going to give you that extra piece of space, that extra second, that extra determination.

“So, if someone's giving it to them, they're going to take it. And they felt that they had enough to beat us and they didn't at that moment.

“And it's no disrespect to them because if someone would have given me and told me, ‘oh, this one's going to play or that one's going to play, you're going to listen to it, right?’ But that's only come from inside our camp and we will deal with it.”

The alleged leak would have taken place before Kazim-Richards had even stepped foot in the Reds dugout, and he shared how it made his start to life at Crawley more challenging.

He said: “Then you're working like, now you're not sure. You've come in, you're wondering who it is, and now you're not being as open as you should maybe.

“You're not now telling the team when you maybe would want to do because you're not sure who it is. That's coaching stuff - you've got to do it.

“And sometimes I know it's difficult for you guys because we have to shut off in here and not give you all the information that you might deserve, because now everyone's looking at [this]. Everyone does it but don't listen to any coach that says he doesn't - he does. They look for any type of information that they can get.”

While his contract was until the end of this season, Kazim-Richards has strongly hinted he will be in charge of the Reds next campaign after securing the club’s EFL status for another year.