Blues boss Roy Keane says he will have to accept the consequences if his best endeavours prove not to be good enough for Town owner Marcus Evans and chief executive Simon Clegg. The Blues are only three points away from the relegation zone after yesterday’s 1-0 home defeat to Keane’s first English club Nottingham Forest.
Asked whether he was concerned about his position the Town manager, who was involved in frank exchanges of views with Blues' fans both behind the dug-out and on the way to the tunnel at the end of the match, said: "My job is not important. What we have to do is to try and do our best for the football club.
"It’s not about me. The club is bigger, it’s had some great managers. We’ve got a manager here now, I’m trying to learn my trade, I’m doing my best and if my best isn’t good enough, then I’ll take the consequences.
"I don’t expect you to be giving me phone calls if I do lose my job. It’s the nature of the game. Managers who win football matches lose their job, let alone managers who don’t - George Burley last week, Darren Ferguson, Lawsy, Big Sam, blah, blah, blah. Don’t let my position keep you awake at night. What will be, will be.”
Keane accepts that Town’s current form is far from acceptable: "The table doesn’t lie. I’m a good one to talk about what we haven’t got in terms of options coming off the bench, but we’ve got a committed group of players, who I thought gave 100% for the club. I appreciate that that only gets you so far, but it’s a good starting place, let me tell you.”
The Blues boss again bemoaned his team's lack of quality in and around the box: "The final ball is the hardest part of football. We lacked a little bit of an aerial threat towards the end when Rory went off and we lost Gareth at half-time.
"Forest are a big, strong team and we looked more dangerous hitting them on the break and we had God knows how many corners and freekicks in decent areas, but Forest defended well.”
Keane refused to blame ill-fortune despite Damien Delaney’s own goal separating the sides: "In sport and football there are fine lines between winning and losing. I wouldn’t say we were unlucky today, I think we should have done better in terms of defending the straight ball.
"As for the own goal, you look back at the Swansea game, there was the same type of goal where it got caught under a defender’s feet. I’m always telling players not to be surprised when the ball lands at their feet, whether that’s in the attacking box or their own box. I don’t think it’s about being unlucky.”
Keane believes his side were worthy of more than a single point over the Christmas period: "We’ve got one point out of a possible six. I’m convinced we deserved more than that, but I’m sure you’re sick of me saying that, it’s been a year and a half of me saying the same old stuff.
"We need to do a little bit more. We don’t score enough goals and you’ve got to score goals to win football matches.”