Hessenthaler: Zoko didn’t do a lot wrong in summer
Leyton Orient assistant manager Andy Hessenthaler (left) (pic: Simon O'Connor). - Credit: Archant
Orient number two discusses Yeovil Town’s Francois Zoko who scored against the O’s on Saturday after spending summer on trial at Brisbane Road
Leyton Orient goalkeeper Alex Cisak saves a free kick attempt from Yeovil Town's Ryan Dickson (pic: Simon O'Connor). - Credit: Archant
Leyton Orient assistant manager Andy Hessenthaler admitted Francois Zoko didn’t do a lot wrong when he was on trial with the club during the summer.
In the end the O’s decided not to give the 32-year-old a contract and after a lengthy spell without a club he signed for Yeovil Town last month.
On Saturday he made the east Londoners pay by scoring on the stroke of half time, heading past Alex Cisak from close range.
The goal was very preventable, however, with Frazer Shaw failing to clear his lines and Jean-Yves M’voto getting his clearance all wrong.
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Fortunately for Orient, Jobi McAnuff came off the bench to score a stunner which earned them a point.
But Ian Hendon’s number two conceded on another day the Glovers might have been awarded a penalty when Shaw appeared to foul Iffy Allen in the penalty area late on.
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“That is always the way and Francois didn’t do a lot wrong in the time he was with us,” said Hessenthaler.
“It was one of those and we didn’t take him, we looked at other avenues, and it is always the way.
“It is like when a player goes back to his old ground they tend to get a goal and kick you in the teeth, but we shouldn’t have put ourselves in that position.
“We wasn’t good enough, certainly first half. Fair play we had a go second half, but even in the second period Yeovil had opportunities.
“On another day it could have been a penalty against us. I don’t know if it was or not, but we put ourselves in them positions and we shouldn’t be doing that.”
Hessenthaler went on to discuss the first half performance that shocked everybody at Brisbane Road on Saturday.
The O’s have normally started games so well before failing to take their opportunities and getting pegged back.
At the weekend they just never started and the former Gillingham manager admitted it was a surprise to see the players so flat early on.
“It was certainly a shock to me as coach because I’ve not seen that. Over the season we’ve always put the effort in. You can’t question their effort,” said Hessenthaler.
“They wear the GPS monitors so we know at the end of a game how hard they’ve worked.
“You didn’t need those GPS monitors in the first half – we could see with our own eyes they didn’t work hard enough. For me that’s a given. You go out there and work your socks off.
“If you work your socks off and perform as a group of players you’ve got a chance of winning the game. First half we didn’t do that. Why? I honestly don’t know.”
