Hamilton Accies boss Brian Rice was irked about questions over his future at his weekly press conference as he looks to appease angry fans with a much-needed win over Albion Rovers in the Betfred Cup tomorrow.
It's been a nightmare week for the New Douglas Park side after they followed up an 8-0 thrashing by Rangers in the Premiership on Sunday with a 2-1 defeat to Stranraer that knocked them out of the Betfred Cup with a game to spare.
They now close out their Group F campaign tomorrow in a Lanarkshire Derby with Rovers in a dead rubber.
Having also lost 3-1 to League Two Annan last month, Rice is desperate to avoid an unwanted hat-trick against another side from the SPFL bottom tier, with fans' frustrations growing by the day.
Asked if he was concerned what the reaction would be like if the unthinkable happened and what it could mean for him, Rice said: "I'd be stupid if I didn't understand it.
"I understand what the fan reaction will be like - I understand what it's like right now - so it's important the team go and get a win.
"It's important we move it forward as quickly as possible."
Regarding fans not being at games, he added: "It's frustrating.
"It can work both ways. When the team is doing well it's great to have the fans behind you, but when the team isn't doing well they can get on the players' backs at times.
"And sometimes it can help when they get on the players' backs. It makes them dig it out more.
"The stronger get stronger and the weak get weaker.
"We understand the situation. We need to go and win a football match.
"I'm not naive enough to think that not winning games is going to make everything okay.
"It's a game we have to win, simple as that."
Earlier this week Rice called on his players to win back the respect of the fans with a result in Stranraer.
That didn't go to plan, but he insists his players gave him 100 per cent at Stair Park in awful conditions.
He said:"We got the reaction, we didn't get the result.
"Nobody can accuse the boys of not giving it everything they had on a really tough pitch.
"It was touch and go if the game was going to be on.
"The lads the other night couldn't be accused of lacking commitment, heart or courage, or anything like that."
Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video.
