We were so bad the boss could have taken us ALL off at half-time
ADAM SLATES TEAM-MATES AFTER FIVE-GOAL ROUT AT HANDS OF COUNTY
FOR Charlie Adam, securing promotion to the Premiership with the club he supported as a child was a boyhood dream come true.
But Wednesday night saw the shellshocked Dundee playmaker’s fairytale descend into nightmare territory four days before Hallowe’en.
Being filleted 5-0 at home by a rock-bottom Ross County side without a prior win in the league this season was an abject humiliation played out in front of a mutinous Dens Park crowd.
So miserable were the team in dark blue that the former Liverpool and Scotland midfielder admits the entire starting XI could have had no complaints had James McPake substituted them all at half-time.
McPake is currently in the firing line after County’s record top-flight victory. But his 35-year-old captain believes the players must accept the criticism that comes their way and then stand up to be counted.
‘To produce that is simply not good enough,’ said Adam. ‘We, as a group of players, have to take the responsibility.
‘I’m in shock, actually. We have not competed, we have not done the hard yards.
‘The stats don’t lie. County have outrun and outfought us. And when you get outrun and outfought it’s there to be seen.
‘They won everything. They won second balls. We never matched them in any department — and if you don’t do that you will get beaten.
‘County came here like a team that didn’t look bottom of the league. We knew they were a good side, creating a lot of chances in games and playing well. But we can’t justify not being able to run hard and chase them down.
‘It just wasn’t good enough and it is something we have to take on the chin. We were that bad the manager could have changed 11 at half-time.
‘Individually, we have got to look at ourselves. It’s the worst since I’ve been at the football club.
‘We will look at it, we will have a discussion with the staff and we will take the criticism that comes our way.’
Bottom-side County are now just one point behind Dundee, who travel to Paisley to take on St Mirren tomorrow.
McPake’s men can expect a tough afternoon against Jim Goodwin’s side, whose only defeat in their last eight matches was a narrow 2-1 home loss to Rangers last Sunday. ‘It’s just a huge disappointment after the last couple of results,’ continued Adam. ‘After the performances winning against Aberdeen and drawing at Hearts, I didn’t think this was coming.
‘But once you have a defeat, it’s all about how you respond to it. And we must be ready on Saturday for a huge game against St Mirren.
‘We have to move on quick because it’s a big game now. It’s not easy going to St Mirren, so we have to roll the sleeves up. We have to stand tall and take it and be ready to go on Saturday.’
The home fans were not slow in letting McPake know their feelings, particularly when he replaced Paul McMullan with Danny Mullen after 37 minutes.
The Dundee boss was a lightning rod for abuse again at half-time and at full-time. But the 37-year-old former Dens Park player retains faith in himself and his coaching staff and squad that together they can get their season back on track.
He said: ‘I can understand the fans’ frustration. I’ve played here long enough. I’ve had criticism. I’ve had praise. That comes with being a player or manager at this football club.
‘If I was an onlooker, I’d be very critical of that performance from both a manager and coaching point of view and from the players’ point of view. I’d be critical on both fronts.
‘Am I big enough to take it? Yes. I can’t stand here and defend anything in the game. There’s been a lot of games this season, even when we have not won, where I’ve been able to come out with my head held high, back my players, back my staff and back myself. ‘Wednesday was not one of those nights. But I’ve got real belief in myself and the staff and the group of players as well.’