‘WE MUST GO UP AFTER BLAME FOR AXED BOSS’

SALFORD striker Emmanuel Dieseruvwe says his team-mates must shoulder the blame for the brutal sacking of Richie Wellens.

Wellens was ruthlessly sacked just nine days after leading Salford to EFL Trophy success at Wembley and with the club just six points off the League Two play-off places.

Co-owner Gary Neville was mocked by Sky Sports colleague Jamie Carragher, having previously spoken out against managers being sacked without being given a proper chance to succeed.

Former Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer has been appointed until the end of the season and takes charge of his first game today at play-off rivals Exeter.

One win in his last eight league games saw Wellens (above), who lasted four months, axed with Dieseruvwe admitting the players must take their share of the blame for his dismissal.

“He came in, he implemented everything he wanted to and, as players, we took to that,” said Dieseruvwe.

“We tried our best in every game, but unfortunately football can sometimes just be a results business.

“As players, we have some blame there, so, as a whole, it just didn’t work out how the board and the people upstairs wanted it to.

“We know as a group we’ve probably under-achieved, so we have to put that right now going forward.

“There’s big expectation, for the players and the manager, but as a footballer that’s what you want to be involved in.

“You don’t want to be mid-table and happy with that, or happy just surviving or just avoiding relegation.

“You want to be part of a place where there’s pressure and all the players will be relishing that pressure now.

“There’s 11 games to go and we have to be ready to fight.

“We have to hold each other accountable and say to each other we’ve got to give everything.”

On Bowyer, in charge until the end of the season, Dieseruvwe said: “He’s put his stamp on what he wants to see from the last 11 games.

“He’s told us about the quality we have in the team. That quality is immense, so we have to have belief and faith in each other that we can make something from the rest of the season.

“He’s come in and addressed a few things that, as individuals and as a team,

League One: 1pm