'Aim all criticism at me' - Derry City manager Ruaidhri Higgins

Ruaidhri Higgins insists his players understand the magnitude of what they are playing for in the midst of widespread criticism of the team ahead of tomorrow night’s game at Dundalk.

The Candystripes missed a significant opportunity to take charge in the title race with successive draws against Bohemians and Sligo Rovers at the Brandywell and as a result now can’t put a foot wrong in the final three games against Dundalk, St. Patrick’s Athletic and Shelbourne.

With just eight points from the last 27 available, Derry City are limping towards the finish line, with the nature of the first half in particular on Monday dismaying many fans.

An improved second half display saw them earn a point, but Higgins insists that the players know exactly what’s on the line.

“Of course they understand,” he said. “I think what we try and do here is educate players when they come into the club about the club, about the city, about what the club means to the people at Derry and no one feels that responsibility more than me.

“I know our supporters absolutely love the club through thick and thin and they get right behind us in the second half the other night when we show more energy, more passion, more drive they get right behind us but again it's up to us to get that reaction. We're just passing through, we're just a number, the supporters that are here week in week out will be here for life and they want success, they crave it and they deserve it so we have to be right at it over the next few weeks.”

Higgins insists all criticism should be aimed at him and not the players for the club’s recent form.

“I think that we're at a stage of the season where something special could happen and what I would like to do is if people are negative and angry, direct it at me, because I'm the manager of the club,” he stated.

“Come at me, because the players need to go out onto the pitch feeling free, feeling motivated and we need them to be at their best over the next few weeks.

“I'm the manager of the club, so whatever criticism comes should be aimed at me.

“We've won big games before and I've no doubt between now and the end of the season we can win some big games.

“You can't switch form on and off, but you can't switch belief on and off either, and I totally believe in the players.

“Contrary to reports they genuinely care, so I can see it with my own eyes, I see it every day, and I back them to the hilt and I'll continue to do that until the end of the season because that's what they deserve.”

Asked if the players should also take responsibility, Higgins responded: “It's absolutely a collective thing but we want our players to play with confidence and as I said the players have always, more often than not, bounced back from setbacks and all's not lost, far from it and we have an opportunity to do something.

“I would prefer that anyone's frustration and anger gets directed at me because I'm the manager and ultimately when results don't go well you're the one that gets the brunt of it and I'm comfortable with it.

“You get pats on the back when you're successful too so you can't have it always and ultimately it's my job to put the team on the pitch and get results so if people are frustrated and angry then it's on me.”

Derry City are just four games away from a potential league and cup double, but that poor form has amped up pressure significantly this week alone, with Higgins and his team suffering abuse online from disgruntled supporters.

“Obviously you don't like hearing it, it comes with the territory nowadays and that's just the way of the world,” he continued. “I can handle it, but the bit that gets me is when it can have an impact on people around you, possibly not going to the games anymore and stuff like that. That's the bit that sort of irritates you.

“I've got broad shoulders, I can take it on the chin, I've dealt with worse than that, but what I will say is, if we rewind back the clock to April 23 when I took the job on, we were four points adrift at the bottom of the table, Longford were second bottom and my remit was to keep the club in the division in my first year and we ended up qualifying for Europe which got the whole process going quicker.

“We signed one player that summer window on a permanent, so I inherited the squad that was bottom of the league, we signed one player on a permanent that summer and two loans from Bohemians and Dundalk and we ended up getting into Europe.

“In the second season, first full season we finished second in the league and won the cup.

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“Last year we finished second in the league and had a good run in Europe, something that hasn't been done for a number of years and this season we have a chance of winning the double, so I'll take all the criticism in the world on the chin but sometimes a wee bit of perspective.

“Obviously our form isn't outstanding at the minute but we're still in a really good position to pick up a trophy or maybe two.”