Cardiff City boss Omer Riza has insisted he remains the right man to steer the club away from relegation, despite mounting pressure from supporters following a 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
The result leaves Cardiff second from bottom in the Championship table with just three games to go, though they remain just a point adrift of safety.
It was a deflating end to what Riza described as a promising performance, undone by goals from Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Diaz.
“We were unlucky today,” Riza said. “I thought there were moments in the game when we looked good going forward and we played quite well.
“Sheffield United are a very strong team and I thought we contained them well at times with our structure and they didn’t cause us loads of issues.
“We always knew it was going to be a tough game out of possession and I thought we managed it quite well. In the second half we tried to take the game to them and we had a lot of the ball.
“We probably didn’t quite cause them enough problems going forward. Our moments needed to be cleaner and more decisive.
“United’s first goal took the momentum away when we still felt we could try to get something from the game and then the second goal comes from a little error and the game is done.
“If we approach the Oxford game just as we approached the game today I feel we can get something out of it.”
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But while the manager praised his players' efforts, the mood among the travelling support told a different story.
Over 1,000 Cardiff fans made the trip to South Yorkshire, and some turned on Riza during the closing stages with chants of “we want Riza out” and “you’re getting sacked in the morning.”
Addressing the criticism, Riza said: “It’s tough, it’s disappointing. I have to keep doing my job. I am the manager of the club and I have to remain focused to make sure my players are ready for the game on Monday [against Oxford United].
“I have to take what they want to sing and what they want to say on the chin and move forwards.”
In the build-up to the game, Riza had apologised after controversially describing some Cardiff fans as “clueless” during a pre-match press conference.
Following the latest loss — Cardiff’s eighth in their last ten games — he insisted the backlash was aimed at him personally, not the team.
“I don’t think it was towards the players,” he said. “I thought the fans were behind the players today — it was more towards me.”
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Despite increasing speculation over his future and rumours of a potential return for ex-manager Neil Warnock, Riza remains defiant.
“If I didn’t think I was the right man for the job, I wouldn’t be standing here,” he said. “It’s still only one point. Luton beat Derby which keeps us all close.
“Whether it’s one result, whether it’s two results, whether it’s three, we just have to keep working and keep believing we are going to get the points that we need to survive.”
Meanwhile, Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder hailed the victory as a crucial one in their push for promotion after a difficult run of results.
“It was a nervy start for us but we came through it and Gustavo got a really important first goal for us,” said Wilder.
“I think we dealt with Cardiff well in the second half and I’m pleased we’ve managed to kill the game off late on. It was absolutely vital we got the three points to keep the pressure on the teams above us.
“We had to take care of business from our point of view today. It’s been a really emotionally draining week for everybody: the players and the supporters.
“We desperately needed a performance. The performance was OK but at this stage of the season the result is the main thing and it’s a big one obviously, which keeps us alive and kicking.”
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Cardiff now turn their attention to a must-win clash at home to Oxford United, followed by West Brom and a final day trip to Norwich.
They may have to do so without Rubin Colwill, who was forced off just 13 minutes after coming off the bench due to a hamstring injury.
