Airdrie skipper Adam Frizzell: Blame us for dismal run, not gaffer

The midfielder insists the players must take the heat for recent display after the Diamonds went bottom of the Championship

Airdrie skipper Adam Frizzell insists the blame for the Diamonds’ dismal run sits with the players and not gaffer Rhys McCabe, as he called on the club to use their pain to fuel their Championship revival.

The Monklands men sank to the foot of the Championship yesterday after a 2-0 defeat at Morton, in which Rhys Armstrong was sent off for the visitors, inflicted their fourth defeat in six league games.

Airdrie haven’t won in the division since an underwhelming 1-0 win over Raith Rovers on the opening day and the new-look side hasn’t come close to hitting the heights they reached in last season’s run to the play-offs.

However, with some fans growing frustrated with gaffer Rhys McCabe, Frizzell insists it is the players who need to shoulder the responsibility for their recent woes and turn things around fast.

Frizzell, whose side travels to high-flyers Livingston next weekend, said: “We are obviously very gutted and very down, but it is up to us to turn it around. It was another poor performance.

“The gaffer has taken the flak for us but this is on us - and so was last week [a 2-0 defeat at home to Falkirk].

“I was saying to the boys there that this is a great environment to come and play.We know the results haven’t been great and the confidence is obviously down a bit because we are not getting the rub of the green.

“But there is only one group that can turn it around and that’s us.

“We just need to be positive and try to build something against Livingston.

“Livingston are a team that’s come down from the Premiership so it is going to be just as difficult, if not more difficult, this week, so there is no time to feel sorry for ourselves.

“This hurts so we need to use that as fuel for the next game.”

Frizzell is also frustrated that Airdrie seem to wait until they are right up against it to start playing, a trait evident in the 2-2 draw at Hamilton Accies earlier this month where they netted twice in the final 10 minutes to salvage a draw.

He added: “It feels right now that we are better for the last half hour or when we go a goal down.

“It is taking that to get us going - and that isn’t the Airdrie I’ve known since I’ve been here. I’ve also been in these situations before with some bad results.

“I know what’s in that dressing room, we’ve certainly got what it takes to turn it around but it is up to us to do that.”

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