‘What the f-! What the f-! What the f-!’: Pascal Chimbonda ‘launches 72-swear-word rant at half-time’ in 6-0 home loss with Skelmersdale United… as ex-Premier League star tears into players rock-bottom of the NINTH tier

• Pascal Chimbonda took on one of non-league’s hardest jobs in mid-October
• He tore into his players while they were 4-0 down vs Colne, swearing repeatedly
• Inside Postecoglou’s Tottenham: IAKO looks at culture and philosophy changes

Pascal Chimbonda reportedly swore at his Skelmersdale United players 72 times at half-time in a bid to ignite passion in his struggling non-league players in a 6-0 loss. 

Skelmersdale were 4-0 down at home to Colne when the former Premier League defender ranted at them in an effort to galvanise them.

He took the job with the North West Counties League Premier Division’s bottom club in mid-October and has only won one of six games present in the dugout so far. 

Chimbonda has actually done pretty well with Skelmersdale. He has brought them five points in four league outings where he has been present – compared to the three in 16 matches before he joined. His tenure has seen another three defeats but he was not at them due to visiting his elderly mother in Guadeloupe.  

‘What the f—! What the f—! What the f—! What the f—! What the f—! Seriously, what the f—!’, Chimbonda yelled at half-time against Colne, according to The Athletic’s fly-on-the-wall feature. 

Pascal Chimbonda tore into his players at half-time while they were 4-0 down to Colne 

The ex-Premier League star took the job in October and while their form has improved, he has only managed one win 

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‘Now go back out there and show a bit of f—ing something in the second half. Because this is a shambles. This is f—ing horrible. This is s—. If it wasn’t for him [pointing at goalkeeper Ben Barnes], it would be six or seven.’

Even before the match had got underway, Chimbonda was tearing into his players as he took issue with their preparation.

He said: ‘That warm-up was f—ing shocking. Seriously, listen to me. That 10 minutes is important. But that was so f—ing sloppy. That was crap. We cannot warm up like that again. We have to be better, much f—ing better.’

After the humiliating loss – the fifth time they have shipped six goals this campaign – he challenged his players to prove that they are in the fight with him. ‘Football is not f—ing nice,’ he said. ‘I love all of you. I would go to war for all of you. But I don’t know if you guys would go to war with me.’

The trials at this level of football are unique – Skelmersdale’s reserve goalkeeper had to come on as a striker for 20 minutes due to injury against Colne.

Players are part-time and balance their footballing commitments with other jobs – The Athletic reports that goalkeeper Barnes could not attend a Thursday evening training session due to being on shift as a police officer. 

Skelmersdale have bounced between the eighth and ninth tiers in recent seasons but with just eight points after 23 games, they are already eight points from safety and the future looks bleak. 

Chimbonda is managing a group of part-time players who had lost 15 of 16 league games before he joined 

Chimbonda did manage an impressive win in his second game in charge, beating Bardoldswick Town 4-1 at home. 

He has previously opened up about his wider ambitions taking on the Skelmersdale job, as he hopes to tackle the odds stacked against black coaches in English football.

He said: ‘I don’t know why this bias is still there because there are so many good black coaches who played a high level of football and you never see them involved in coaching or on different boards in football.

‘I have had many people telling me “don’t give up”. One day maybe it will happen and you will open the door for other black coaches to be involved in the football industry.’

‘This challenge, if I have to accept it to go into football, I open my arms for it. I’m really pleased they gave me that opportunity to express myself.

‘There are still plenty of games to go. I’m going to shake that tree, try to build a good base and come out of this bottom of the table.

He hopes to tackle a bias against black coaches in English football, as so few are given opportunities to shine 

‘I have to start my coaching career some somewhere. Even though I know the challenge may be tough, if you never start somewhere you will never learn and do something good.’

He has a storied career to draw on for inspiration. 

Chimbonda was part of the France squad that reached the 2006 World Cup final and played for multiple Premier League clubs, winning the League Cup with Tottenham. 

He also turned out for Wigan, Sunderland, and Blackburn in the top flight.  

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