Skipper Luke Chambers says he and his team-mates have let boss Mick McCarthy down with their recent performances, admitting that confidence is low at present. The Blues were beaten 2-0 at Huddersfield on Saturday at the end of a week in which they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Vanarama National League leaders Lincoln.

“When things aren’t going well there is always going to be a lack of confidence but it’s all in the head,” Chambers said.

“You’ve got to take the opportunity when it comes, you’ve got to make the right decision on the pitch and off the pitch.

“We are paid to play football and we should take the rough with the smooth and we've just got to learn we are all very good footballers or else we wouldn’t be playing at this level.

“It is a lot in the mind at the moment and when things are tough that is when you see people’s true character and we need to show a bit more at the moment.”

Chambers, 31, admits the players need to put in improved displays to reduce the pressure on manager Mick McCarthy.

“We all want what is best for the football club so the boys are doing everything effort-wise but the quality has not been there,” he added.

“We are letting him down at the moment in terms of the performances we are giving in a 90-minute spell, so we need to be doing more for him.

“It is difficult when things aren’t going well but we’ve got another game coming round in a week’s time, we’ve got work ourselves on the training pitch and start believing in each other and each other’s ability.

“He’s not the only manager in the division where things are tough at the moment, teams are going through tough, tough runs and we are involved in probably the bottom 10 at the minute who are not playing well, not having the rub of the green or not playing well and are lacking that bit of quality.”

Town, who are 14th, nine points off the bottom three, are next in action on Saturday at Preston, who are 10th with 40 points, six more than the Blues.

Photo: TWTD

SpiritOfJohn added 07:57 - Jan 23 Echo what most are saying about the fans but let's not forget the fact most of the players let themselves down on national tv by not being able to pass the ball to a team mate. They should be feeling our embarrassment times 10, and should be working on passing in training, not hoofing it down the line at every opportunity.
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Dissboyitfc added 08:04 - Jan 23 Firstly it was MM's decision to bring on" Different class" Dougie. When we are chasing the game he takes off creative players and replaces them with defensive players, such negative negative Tactics. Think of the long suffering fans, been too long now!
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shakytown added 08:04 - Jan 23 The whole problem is a manager with no plan or ideas and players who are just not good enough. Sad to see the likes of Douglas trying to play at a level he is just not capable of playing at.
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cat added 08:12 - Jan 23 Fair play to him for coming out probably knowing his today's lamb to the slaughter. The line that made me laugh is they are paid to play football, anyone seen any of that lately???.
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battyblue added 08:17 - Jan 23 Some not good enough, others being restricted by having to defend rather than attack by McCarthy's regimental instruction from the touchline,,, 95% mm problem,,5% the players.
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Yallop added 08:20 - Jan 23 Some of you lot are very precious. Us fans have had plenty of mentions in recent press releases. We don't need our ego's rubbed in every single one !
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PortmanTerrorist added 08:21 - Jan 23 Stupid comments from a man who has been a great servant. However not quite right are you Mr Chambers:- - the players are letting the fans down with their performances - the manager is letting the fans down with crazy team selection and insulting media comments - the owner is letting the fans down by seemingly turning a blind eye to the malaise running right through the Club The players are always the most fickle element here, MM a stubborn mule of a man (works when you winning), but the big problem is Evans. If an owner won't invest when we are within touching distance of promotion (3 years ago), won't invest when we are on fringes of play-offs (2 years ago), then what insanity will drive him to spend when we are out of the cups and in mid table obscurity in January? Boycott or not, what reason do fans have for going to games now ? Nothing to play for, journeymen replacing youth (again), no style of football. I might make sense of it but my 11 year old cannot. Note to Evans: A generation will be lost - but why should you care, you did not grow up Blue after all

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Swn98 added 08:25 - Jan 23 Soo Benters don't you want him to put things right?
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Swn98 added 08:27 - Jan 23 Well said Evans blue and thundercat
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Swn98 added 08:33 - Jan 23 Perhaps there should be a 3 month break from players management et Al making press statements this would have a 2 fold benefit the players could spend more time learning how to pass the ball to each other the fans would have less ammo to beat each other up just a thought.
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Swn98 added 08:52 - Jan 23 Pol dark no and don't be so abusive there's a good chap
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Bert added 08:56 - Jan 23 As usual the MM haters on here whatever is said so again no objectivity. Chambers has said the players are letting the club down. That means the fans as well. MM is not going, yet, so be a proper supporter and bloke and support the team in these dire circumstances. Supporting the club does not mean we agree with MM or Evans, it means we want better. Think about it.
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poldark added 09:01 - Jan 23 Well Swn88 please inform me why you support this so called manager and he can do no wrong ?
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DurhamTownFan added 09:25 - Jan 23 More examples of some people being sucked in by the story: chambers words have convinced you, and now you're ready to believe that everything is fine with the club? Wake up! Our club is a disaster from top to bottom!!!!!!
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Bluetone added 09:44 - Jan 23 Quote “We are letting him (McCarthy)down at the moment in terms of the performances we are giving in a 90-minute spell, so we need to be doing more for him. What about the supporters there is a difference 1 McCarthy gets paid (I won't say earns) big bucks for serving up this dross 2. The players get paid extremely well for playing this dross 3 The supporters pay to watch this dross. So who exactly is being let down and by whom?

7

MonterreyBlue added 09:58 - Jan 23 As previously mentioned, what about the fans? The ones that made the trek to Lincoln last Tuesday, apart from the performance, result, humiliation infront of the nation and the fact it was flipping freezing too and then hop in the car again and go to Huddersfield for another poor effort? Unfortunately, even due to my better judgement, i did both, along with 694 other extremely loyal supporters. Throw in the middle Milne saying we need to stick by MM. MM himself saying that we should remember the recent league performances, which lets face it, were hardly setting the world on fire AND the generous (sic) offer of our invizible owner, offering us free coach tickets to the last game of the season.... How many more slaps in the face?? Even the team barely came over and said "thanks" to us on Saturday.... goodness me, that should of minimum thrown their shirts into the crowd or some gesture of thanks. A Club is nothing without its supporters, keep that in mind ITFC.

4

Kesgraveblue57 added 10:02 - Jan 23 What have you to apologise for any championships are you going to Lincoln would be defeated it's not your fault playing crap football week after week it's the fact that you don't have the ability to play decent football along with the rest of the inadequates and poor Mick McCarthy who we all love! I must defend him for when you cross the white line Mr Chambers it's down to you

1

rugbytomc added 10:03 - Jan 23 There's a feeling of inevitability at the moment. Rightly or wrongly unless we stick a run together it looks like Mick is on his way out and maybe even by his own choice. I just hope the owner gives more transfer backing to the next manager as you could see at the weekend how threadbare our squad is. Higher earners but not performing enough like Berra, mcgoldrick should go in the summer.

3

bontcho added 10:06 - Jan 23 You've let the boss down, you've let the fans down, you've let your families down but worst of all, you've let yourselves down.
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midastouch added 10:08 - Jan 23 I agree rubytomc, it's time to ditch the high earners if they aren't delivering the goods. I watch Goal Rush most weeks and some of the talent in the lower leagues is plain to see. You see cracking goals week in and week out. The boy Bogle from Grimsby got another one this weekend. Every week you look you see talented looking strikers who know where the net is and look ready to make the step up. One even scored 4 last week! This is where we should be focusing, taking the cream of the league 1 and 2 and starting afresh.

4

brittaniaman added 10:10 - Jan 23 The point is Mr.Chambers, the football is boring, Fans are dropping in great numbers because of McCarthys Stubborn Arrogant non Tactical, clueless ways, and he is the one who is always right,with the old saying (my way or no way) and these fans who are staying away say they will not come back until McCarthy has gone !!!!!! Who would replace him is anybody guess ????

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brazil1982 added 10:11 - Jan 23 I can't see where a goal is coming from let alone a win.
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Carberry added 10:19 - Jan 23 If the PR machine at Portman Road thought this would take some heat off the manager then they are badly mistaken. Back to the drawing board fellas and get it right otherwise you will be gone before McCarthy. We look forward to the next instalment with interest.
3

StavangerBlue added 10:22 - Jan 23 I was at Huddersfield at the weekend and I am not sure if Chambers realises what is going on. The team plays with little passion. We rarely maintain possession because of poor passing or more likely the ball is hit 50 yards straight back to the opposition e.g. Knudsen repeatedly punts the ball, without looking who/what is even there, resulting in the opposition's right back collecting the ball. The midfield rarely plays constructive balls forward rather going backwards or sideways. Balls forward come from the defence, 50/60 yard long balls, which the opposition defence laps up every time due to the fact Murphy is no longer there and surprise Sears is tiny. When we lose the ball we don't fight for it back. We sit deep and watch the opposition pass it around us jogging back as their forwards sprint into position and hit a right foot curling shot past a static defence (whose turned their back on the ball) and past our keeper. After the first goal on Saturday the teams heads dropped. There was no way back. MM barely did a thing, just sitting in the dugout leaving TC to walk the line at least trying to instruct the team. Every player we had on Saturday was second best to Huddersfield. We were out ran, out passed, out played, showed less desire, less passion, less respect for the club and fans. It was brass monkeys weather too yet as already stated the players barely acknowledged the fans who were there. My fear is although we've made some acquisitions the loanee players are merely paper over the cracks.

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tallguy6767 added 10:26 - Jan 23 Just shows that the players couldn't give a flying fuc# about the fans
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