The dressing room speaks as pressure mounts on Portsmouth boss after Ipswich Town debacle

Pompey fans have been told Danny Cowley is the right man for the job.
Danny Cowley after the home thumping by Ipswich last night.Danny Cowley after the home thumping by Ipswich last night.
Danny Cowley after the home thumping by Ipswich last night.

And midfielder Joe Morrell has called on his team-mates to take responsibility for the shambolic showing against Ipswich, as the pressure mounts on their boss.

The embarrassing 4-0 loss made for a dark night on Paul Cook’s return to Fratton Park - and means it’s now one win in 12 for the Blues.

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Cowley suffered the heaviest defeat of his reign for the second game on the bounce, to leave Pompey just four points off the relegation places.

Questions are now being asked of the head coach, but Morrell is adamant he’s the right man for the task and will work tirelessly to turn things around.

And the Wales international made it clear the players have to take responsibility for what is occurring on the pitch.

Morrell said: ‘The obvious way to get over adversity is to work harder, that’s what he (Cowley) says.

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‘That’s something I understand - and there is no one who works harder than he does.

‘If you’re looking for someone who will not rest until we’re playing better and getting better results, it’s him.

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‘I feel we need to follow suit - and as players we have to take responsibility.

‘This isn’t the manager’s fault or the player’s fault, it’s a combination of everything.

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‘When we win games we get the praise and the manager is quick to praise us.

‘That has to go both ways and we have to take a massive amount of responsibility, because we’re a long way short right now.’

Morrell gave an honest assessment of how confidence has been hit in the Pompey dressing room, off the back of a drop of form over an extended period.

He believes there’s a number of factors at play when it comes to reasons for the run - including mental toughness.

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Morrell added: ‘You find out about yourself in times like these - and you find out about your team-mates.

‘You find out what you’re capable of and what it means to people.

‘You have to try to see adversity as a challenge.

‘Ultimately we know we’re a long way short at the minute and we have to find the answers pretty quickly.

‘I don't think it’s one thing, it’s a combination of things.

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‘A lot of it is psychological. That’s sometimes the hardest thing to solve.

‘But we have to find out what we’re doing wrong quickly, because there’s no time waste.

‘We don’t want to fall adrift from the top of the league because ultimately that’s where our aspirations lie.’

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