Kirkland: We deserved fans' wrath

15 August 2010 13:07
Chris Kirkland has admitted Wigan let their fans down with their shambolic opening-day performance against Blackpool.[LNB] Despite playing at home against a side overwhelmingly tipped for relegation, Wigan collapsed to a dismal 4-0 defeat.[LNB]Roberto Martinez's side were three goals down before the interval, knowing the deficit could easily have been even worse, before a Kirkland error gifted Alex Baptise a fourth after the break.[LNB]It was a pitiful way to start the season and stand-in skipper Kirkland admitted Wigan deserved the boos that went ringing round the DW Stadium at half-time and after the final whistle.[LNB]"To a man we let the fans down," said Kirkland.[LNB]"They are entitled to say what they want. That is part of football. The way we played in the first half, we deserved it.[LNB]"Now everyone has to stand up because we are going to take a lot of criticism, and rightly so. We weren't good enough."[LNB]Kirkland revealed the uncertainty surrounding Charles N'Zogbia did not make the build-up any easier.[LNB]N'Zogbia is demanding a move away from Wigan and was left out by Martinez yesterday because the manager did not feel the former Newcastle player was in the right frame of mind to play.[LNB]Martinez has claimed the situation will be resolved next week, with the former Swansea boss determined "to do the right thing for Wigan".[LNB]Yet, as Kirkland pointed out, this is a time for the Latics to pull together for their manager, which is not a position N'Zogbia is likely to put himself in.[LNB]Kirkland himself has to improve given he was directly responsible for two Blackpool goals.[LNB]And, with the opening day's other handsome winners, Chelsea, visiting Wigan next weekend, and memories of an eight-goal drubbing at Stamford Bridge on the final day of last season still fresh in the mind, Kirkland admits a form reversal has to be executed pretty quickly.[LNB]"Last season's result was last season," he said.[LNB]"It has no bearing on next week. The point is, if we play like we did against Blackpool we are going to get beaten.[LNB]"We have a lot of hard work on the training ground in front of us, but by next weekend we have to pull our socks up and be ready to go again."

Source: Team_Talk