Blues boss Paul Hurst says the squad remains bubbly despite not having won any of their first nine Championship games - plus the Carabao Cup defeat at Exeter - since he took charge in the summer. Town face Birmingham City at St Andrew’s on Saturday hoping to end their long wait for a victory.
"I think on a day-to-day basis it’s still a bubbly squad,” Hurst insisted. "I’ve said all along if I’m really upset about something I’ll let them know, but I don’t expect them to come into work and be sulking and down and not showing enthusiasm because whatever position we are in it’s still a fantastic job to be in.
"It really grinds on me when I feel you’ve got some people that don’t appreciate what job they have and the profession.
"We all know how many people out there would happily swap places with them in a heartbeat, so from that point of view it’s fine.
"I think it’s just when it gets to that game day, because of how things have gone, not as in negativity, but having that belief that we can really get the result that we want.
"And even last week, the dynamic of the game changed when the sending off occurred and we found it extremely difficult to break Bolton down and take advantage of that situation.
"But overall I think the lads are in good spirits and they have to keep believing and that’s the important part.
"I’ve got my part to play in that but they also have to do that themselves as individuals and collectively because there’s no point in me just saying that it or the crowd really cheering them on, they’ve got to have that belief because they’re the ones who are out on the pitch.”
Does he feel he’s getting nearer to finding the formula which will bring that first win? "I think overall there’s not one definitive way and the players themselves, I don’t expect to have just 11 players that can perform so it’s always a moving jigsaw if you like.
"But I think we’ve pretty much settled on a way to play from day one. I think only once we’ve really deviated away [the first half against Brentford when he switched to 3-5-2] aside from the little changes in the midfield area at times.
"I think we know what we’re trying to do and where we’re at with that. Time, you would think, helps people understand exactly what those roles are but each game is different because the opposition will have a different way of playing as well and they're trying to put their game on to you.
"We saw that last week, particularly with 10 men where it was a totally different game than it was midweek against Brentford.
"So you have to be adaptable all the time. But I’m certainly getting close to thinking, ‘This is my team’ but because of some individual performances, it’s certainly not set in stone at this stage.”
How does he go about instilling confidence in a team which has gone on such a long winless run? "I think you tell them how you’ve seen games and highlight periods where we’re been on top when we haven’t quite taken advantage.
"On the training ground, you’re praising them. We demand, but I have to say when people do something good it’s not like we don’t say anything then. You have to tell them that that’s a good piece of play, a bit of skill, a good finish, good defending, whatever it is.
"And I think for me to keep ramming that message home that we haven’t been totally outplayed, we haven’t come off thinking, ‘They’re miles ahead of us’.
"Brentford were extremely good but we had our own periods in that match, particularly that second half where we looked a decent side as well. It’s important to try and concentrate on that.
"Some individual errors have cost us more than really being outplayed and it's just trying to cut those out.
"But there’s nothing better than victories in terms of everything to really buy into everything that you’re doing and give you that belief again to move forward.”
Asked whether he was worried about the current situation, he added: "I’d rather not be where we are, that goes without saying.
"Straight after a defeat you have a lot of emotions going on and it’s never an easy time, but given a bit of time, like most situations, you start to think about things in the cold light of day, be a bit more objective about things and then you get back into work, you’re back with the players and you’re on to the next one.
"I’ve said before, I’m a realist and I understand the job that I’m in and how the season’s gone so far in terms of results, but I think you're very much focusing on the next one and trying to get that first victory first and foremost and then trying to start to climb the table.
"Strange as it was last week, the positives were that we kept a clean sheet and we moved up a place.
"We weren’t out partying thinking, ‘That’s it, we’ve cracked it’ but at the same time it was a very, very small step, granted, but it was a small step forward.”
Hurst says there’s no sense of panic despite the disappointing run: "That’s not my nature. It won’t be my nature and hasn’t been in my nature when things are going the other way.
"I take it as a compliment that people say I’m pretty much the same all the time and you can’t tell whether we’re top of the league or bottom of the league, whatever it is. That’s me.
"Some people say that’s boring and that’s fair enough, I don’t mind that if that’s how people want to see me.
"I can have a good time in certain situations and the odd time I can decide that I don’t really want to speak to people, but overall I really appreciate the job that I do. I know there are a lot of people who are not in jobs who would love to be sat where I am today.”
Hurst, 44 on Tuesday, says one of the squad has told him the strength in depth is currently as good as at any time since they have been at the club.
"When I say things people can always think, ‘He’s only just saying that’ or whatever, so I prefer it when other people perhaps speak about things like that,” he continued.
"I’ve had a player say to me that they think it’s the best squad that we’ve had. Again, straight away I know people will say we haven’t got Martyn Waghorn, we haven’t got Adam Webster or Joe Garner and I’m not going to comment on that but they feel that in terms of strength in depth it’s the best squad we’ve had.
"Now you look at the table at the minute and at results and people will think that that’s person’s mad.
"Hopefully in time we can get to a point where we can really see something developing and building and something to build on.
"It’s a small thing at the minute and it’s not down to the first team, but I like the fact that the U18s are top of the league and the U23s are top of their league.
"A very different league and you never know what you’re coming up against, people change teams all the time, but it’s still nice and I think there are a lot of good young players here.
"How many can go on and really make it and have a Championship career, we’ll see. But I like that fact because it breeds a winning mentality.
"We’ve got to make that happen in the first team. But I think overall the training ground is a good environment. People will either believe me or not, but that’s the way I see it.”
He says his assistant Chris Doing helps to keep his spirits high even if the former defender is not always all smiles.
"Chris often makes me seem really happy, so that’s probably an indication of what Chris is like,” Hurst joked.
"We’ve worked together a long time now and I think we know how each other is and it’s something we’ve spoken about, as in when we are together there’s an element of maybe him trying to make me feel a little bit better or vice versa because I think for both of us at times it’s easy to see the things that aren’t quite right.
"He’s hurting, it hurts his pride, same as I’ve said it does mine because I’m the person that speaks to the media most often but Chris takes it very personally as well.
"I’m not saying that every decision I make he would agree with but at the same time, he’s very much part of it, he plays a big part.
"He’s never really happy but he’s certainly been happier than he is but we want to work hard to try and change that.”
Are there occasions when it’s a case of bad cop-bad cop with the pair of them? "Sometimes or one of us just has to shut up. If I’ve maybe said something, there are occasions when I won’t ask Chris for his opinion because I don’t want it to be [thought about] any further or things like that, but that’s just getting to know situations and doing what you think is right at the time.”