Duff: Blame players, not Freddy
Newcastle winger Damien Duff has admitted he and his team-mates have no-one but themselves to blame for the barrage of criticism which has come their way.
Chairman Freddy Shepherd may have borne the brunt of the fans’ frustration after Saturday’s dreadful 1-0 home defeat by Sheffield United, but the 27-year-old Ireland international admits the responsibility lies elsewhere.
Duff said: “Stick is flying around and deservedly so. It is us players you can blame and no-one else, really.
“We have not got the biggest of squads and we are struggling with injuries, but with the 11 players we had out on Saturday, you would still expect to win that type of game at St James’ Park.
“But we will take it on the chin, keep working hard and move on.”
Duff has been pressed into service as an emergency striker for the Magpies in recent weeks with Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins, Shola Ameobi and Antoine Sibierski all injured.
However, he heads into Tuesday’s Carling Cup fourth round clash with Watford desperate to add to his goal tally after managing just one to date since his £5m (€7.46m) summer move from Chelsea.
Duff said: “They are not flowing at the minute, but I will keep working hard and hopefully they will come.
“But I am not worrying about myself, the most important thing is the team. It is a massive club, it is a special, special place and the fans deserve better.
“I just want to help the team get back to winning ways. Whether I have played an important part or not, we are second bottom of the league, so I am not thinking about myself.
“I just want to get to winning ways as soon as possible. That is all I am thinking about.”
The Magpies headed south with injuries still seriously hindering manager Glenn Roeder’s efforts to turn around a season which remains on course in the cup competitions, but is rapidly sliding out of control in the Barclays Premiership.
Sibierski could return from a toe problem but the squad will once again be paper-thin. However, Roeder is calling on his players to show their character to battle through an early-season crisis.
He said: “We have gone and got ourselves into a position we do not want to be in, but it is time now everyone stands up.
“I certainly feel I am fighting fit and ready for the challenges ahead over the next few weeks and months – I expect my players to do exactly the same.
“We need to pick ourselves up, not feel sorry for ourselves, do not play the blame game, which in society nowadays, people do very easily. 'It is not my fault, it is somebody else’s fault’ – we are having none of that.
“We have to accept criticism even if we do not like it, because when we are praised, we like it. You cannot have it both ways. Let’s see how many men we have got – and we need plenty of them.”
