Steven Gerrard has defended beleaguered England coach Steve McClaren - but admitted the intense criticism has not been over the top.
McClaren has faced calls for his dismissal both from the fans and the media following the weekend's goalless draw in Israel.
His attempt to head off further attacks yesterday fell on deaf ears and with the intensity of the abuse only increasing, the FA's international committee felt it necessary to offer public backing to Sven-Goran Eriksson's successor ahead of tomorrow's must-win Euro 2008 qualifier with Andorra.
Skipper John Terry added his voice to the pro-McClaren lobby, with vice-captain Gerrard lending even more weight to the argument with his own unequivocal support.
However, rather than hit back at England's accusers, the Liverpool star surveyed a season littered with disappointment and acknowledged the attacks on his team-mates had probably been justified.
"I don't think the criticism has been over the top," he said.
"We have drawn against Israel and we have drawn against Macedonia. With the quality of players we have, these are games we should be winning.
"As an England player, if you are not getting results, you deserve to be criticised.
"We know he (McClaren) has taken it in the neck after Saturday but the players have to take a lot of responsibility for that.
"We are right behind Steve. He is preparing us right and coaching us right. He is telling us the right things.
"It is us who are going there and underperforming and underachieving. It is down to myself and the other boys to stand up and turn these results around to take the heat off him."
After five games without a win, it is little wonder confidence in the England camp is low. With just one goal in those outings, McClaren has presided over the worst scoring sequence since 1981.
Should the run not come to a halt tomorrow in the stadium where Linford Christie struck Olympic gold in 1992, McClaren knows any defence of his record will be completely meaningless.
Far more likely is a win, followed by another against Estonia in June, which would almost certainly ensure he gets the chance to preside over England's entire qualification programme.
In some ways, the make-up of McClaren's side overnight is irrelevant.
Micah Richards and Ashley Cole are expected to replace Phil Neville and Jamie Carragher in the full-back roles but the rest of England's line-up is likely to remain as it was in Tel Aviv, meaning Gerrard will again be stationed on the right-hand side of England's midfield.
It is not a position he is too keen on occupying but, admirably, the 26-year-old is refusing to offer any excuses for either his, or his country's lack of recent achievement.
"We are not shying away from this," he said.
"This is England. People expect a lot. The game is about results and ours have not been acceptable.
"There is no hiding place. Everyone has got to stand up and turn this situation around."
The obvious problem for England tomorrow morning is the arbitrary goals target they will be expected to hit.
McClaren has already stated firmly a win is his only aim but given the entire population of the opposition would fit into Old Trafford with plenty of seats to spare, most of England's 10,000-strong travelling fans will expect the visitors to get somewhere close to the five goals they scored on home soil in September, when the coach was still enjoying his honeymoon period.
"The fans want four or five nil," observed Gerrard. "But we look at the table and recognise the most important thing is getting three points.
"Obviously, we will try to play well but the result is more important than the performance."
UEFA's complicated system for determining the placings of sides who finish level on points means England will almost certainly drop to fourth in the table tomorrow no matter what the size of their victory.
But, eventually, their fate is almost certain to be decided by the two autumn meetings with Guus Hiddink's Russia, when Gerrard is determined England will prevail.
"We are looking at the bigger picture and we are asking the fans to stay with us," he said.
"We are upset at the way we are playing. We are third in the table now and it doesn't look very nice
"But we can promise everyone connected with England that we will be in Euro 2008. We are confident we can achieve that."
His attempt to head off further attacks yesterday fell on deaf ears and with the intensity of the abuse only increasing, the FA's international committee felt it necessary to offer public backing to Sven-Goran Eriksson's successor ahead of tomorrow's must-win Euro 2008 qualifier with Andorra.
Skipper John Terry added his voice to the pro-McClaren lobby, with vice-captain Gerrard lending even more weight to the argument with his own unequivocal support.
However, rather than hit back at England's accusers, the Liverpool star surveyed a season littered with disappointment and acknowledged the attacks on his team-mates had probably been justified.
"I don't think the criticism has been over the top," he said.
"We have drawn against Israel and we have drawn against Macedonia. With the quality of players we have, these are games we should be winning.
"As an England player, if you are not getting results, you deserve to be criticised.
"We know he (McClaren) has taken it in the neck after Saturday but the players have to take a lot of responsibility for that.
"We are right behind Steve. He is preparing us right and coaching us right. He is telling us the right things.
"It is us who are going there and underperforming and underachieving. It is down to myself and the other boys to stand up and turn these results around to take the heat off him."
After five games without a win, it is little wonder confidence in the England camp is low. With just one goal in those outings, McClaren has presided over the worst scoring sequence since 1981.
Should the run not come to a halt tomorrow in the stadium where Linford Christie struck Olympic gold in 1992, McClaren knows any defence of his record will be completely meaningless.
Far more likely is a win, followed by another against Estonia in June, which would almost certainly ensure he gets the chance to preside over England's entire qualification programme.
In some ways, the make-up of McClaren's side overnight is irrelevant.
Micah Richards and Ashley Cole are expected to replace Phil Neville and Jamie Carragher in the full-back roles but the rest of England's line-up is likely to remain as it was in Tel Aviv, meaning Gerrard will again be stationed on the right-hand side of England's midfield.
It is not a position he is too keen on occupying but, admirably, the 26-year-old is refusing to offer any excuses for either his, or his country's lack of recent achievement.
"We are not shying away from this," he said.
"This is England. People expect a lot. The game is about results and ours have not been acceptable.
"There is no hiding place. Everyone has got to stand up and turn this situation around."
The obvious problem for England tomorrow morning is the arbitrary goals target they will be expected to hit.
McClaren has already stated firmly a win is his only aim but given the entire population of the opposition would fit into Old Trafford with plenty of seats to spare, most of England's 10,000-strong travelling fans will expect the visitors to get somewhere close to the five goals they scored on home soil in September, when the coach was still enjoying his honeymoon period.
"The fans want four or five nil," observed Gerrard. "But we look at the table and recognise the most important thing is getting three points.
"Obviously, we will try to play well but the result is more important than the performance."
UEFA's complicated system for determining the placings of sides who finish level on points means England will almost certainly drop to fourth in the table tomorrow no matter what the size of their victory.
But, eventually, their fate is almost certain to be decided by the two autumn meetings with Guus Hiddink's Russia, when Gerrard is determined England will prevail.
"We are looking at the bigger picture and we are asking the fans to stay with us," he said.
"We are upset at the way we are playing. We are third in the table now and it doesn't look very nice
"But we can promise everyone connected with England that we will be in Euro 2008. We are confident we can achieve that."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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