Boss Roy Keane has hit out at fans who booed loan midfielder Jack Colback during Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat to Plymouth. The 20-year-old hit the first defender with a number of set pieces and was subject to the frustrations of some in the crowd.
Keane said: "I wasn’t too happy with some of the supporters the other night getting on one or two of the players’ backs, including young Jack Colback.
"Fans are entitled to their opinions, but Jack Colback’s been brilliant for us this season, head and shoulders our best player, a young man learning his trade.
"He made one or two mistakes the other night, from a corner and a freekick. We want better from our supporters as well.”
The Blues boss said he was happy to take the criticism himself but felt that young players ought to be given more encouragement: "Boo the manager all you want, but get behind the players. I know it’s only a minority, but what if we want him back next year?
"We talk about the club being a traditionally a top football club and our fans have been brilliant, but the other night we spent half our time giving the opposition manager a big reception, we’ve got young players trying to learn their trade, they’re the ones that need it.”
Keane also feels that some of the more established players are given a comparatively easy ride: "One or two of the senior players get applauded while they’re picking on some of the younger players, I certainly wasn’t happy with that.”
The Town manager isn’t surprised that supporters are becoming increasingly frustrated: "In the modern world we all want things yesterday. Supporters are the same. When I first got the job and I said maybe we can do it in a year, blah, blah, blah, and fans were very supportive of that.
”Now they’re probably looking at it and saying ‘Listen, we’ve not seen too much progress,’ and there’s going to be frustration. I’d rather they took the frustration out on the manager, which they can do, but for Christ’s sake support the younger players.”
Keane says his determination to get the Blues promoted hasn’t wavered despite the disappointing season: "It’s a brilliant, brilliant challenge and every day I come in, the more I realise how big the challenge is, but it’s one I’m going to embrace, one I’m looking forward to.
"I could go off and do plenty of other things if I wanted an easy life, but I’ve never wanted an easy life. I didn’t have an easy Tuesday, I didn’t have an easy Wednesday, but I feel a bit better today and I’ll be ready to go at the weekend.”