Boss Mick McCarthy says it’s good to hear players taking responsibility, skipper Luke Chambers having said recent performances have let their manager down following last week’s 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield.
"I don’t want apologies from people because I don’t think I deserve that,” McCarthy said. "I don’t think any of them let me down intentionally and I never, ever blame the players and I’d never start now at this ripe old age. But it’s nice if players do take the responsibility as well.
"I’ve heard some saying players are getting stick but I have to say when I’m walking off the pitch and we’ve got beat, I didn’t hear any players’ names getting mentioned. I think pretty much it was mine.
"And that’s cool, I’d prefer that, to be honest with you. I said to the players, we all have to own our little bit of it, whatever it might be. I own the whole of it so I’m taking responsibility for every bit of it, and am quite happy to do so.
"But your little one bit of responsibility is your own individual bit - did I win enough headers, did I win enough tackles, did I give something away, did I make enough passes, did I make enough crosses, did I stick it up front, did I get a goal when I should have done.
"That’s their responsibility, which I cannot do anything about. I pick them and I put them in the team. That is what you have to own, that little bit. 'God grant me the serenity [to accept the things I cannot change]'. All of that.”
McCarthy says Chambers is an excellent captain and believes new addition Steven Taylor will also add his leadership qualities to the squad.
"Chambo’s pretty much the leader of the pack, he’s a great captain, he is recognised by everybody in there, he’s ‘Skip’,” McCarthy said.
"I love the fact they call him that, they recognise he is the captain, he’s the leader. But we can do with a few more of them and I think Steven can add to that.”