Portsmouth boss responds to questions over his future as supporters turn against him in bleak Charlton Athletic defeat

The Blues head coach faced widespread fan fury at Fratton Park during and after a bleak 3-1 New Year’s Day defeat to Charlton Athletic.

Chants of ‘we want Cowley out’ and ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ rung around PO4 in the wake of depressing performance.

It puts the 43-year-old in a difficult position, with his side now nine games without a win in League One and on a run of a single success in 14 at home.

Cowley appears to have the support of the Pompey board at present, however, and vowed he still has the desire to continue his 22-month tenure.

He said: ‘It’s for me to take responsibility. It’s my responsibility to help the players perform - and we didn’t do that.

‘We have to accept the criticism that rightly comes our way.

‘The supporters have a right to be angry.

‘They love their club and their club means a lot to them.

‘It’s a great football club and we’ve come up well short of the standards they deserve.

‘It’s for me take responsibility and we have to accept the criticism which rightly comes our way.

‘You can make it about me, if you want.‘This is club has been in the lower leagues for a number of years. As the head coach that I take that burden of criticism when it doesn’t go well.

‘For me it’s to own my part in that. That’s what I’m trying to do.

‘Always (does he have the appetite to continue?). I’ve never quit at anything in all my life.

‘I’ve fought really hard to get to this point.

‘To get to where I am from the life I’ve led you have to be pretty determined and resilient.

‘These are qualities that I have.’

Cowley insisted he has no problem being in the firing line of supporters furious with the way the season is headed at present under his tenure.

He knows the buck stops squarely with him, but underlined he believes he will judge his role in the present struggles as harshly as anyone.

Cowley added: ‘I totally accept the criticism. The performances haven’t been good enough and they haven’t been for a period of time.

‘When you don’t win in football then you expect to get criticism come your way.

‘For me, it’s to always own it.

‘With all due respect to anyone I answer to myself first and foremost.

‘No one will be more critical of me than me.’