IAN Holloway insisted he couldn’t be trying any harder as Millwall’s manager after his side fell to another heavy defeat.
The Lions remain six points adrift of safety after they were beaten 3-0 by Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday night.
Holloway had gone into the game hoping to prove to chairman John Berylson that he “could motivate this group” but will now have further talks with the American owner.
He said: “It doesn’t help when you’re not popular with the fans, it puts extra pressure on people.
“I’m sure I’ll be talking to the chairman over the next few days and we’ll have to see where we are.
“I couldn’t give it any more. I couldn’t try any harder than I am at the minute and we just can’t buy a goal.
“I would hope to continue but if other people don’t then that’s their decision. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
“Tonight we came up against a good team who were lethal.
“We came up here to get on with this game and I felt it was a big opportunity for me to show the chairman I could motivate this group and give me a platform to build on.”
Millwall had started the game well enough but after Lee Gregory missed a one-on-one, Patrick Bamford struck to ease Boro’s early nerves.
“There’s no bad team in the Championship but at the moment we’re one of the worst because of the run we’re on,” Holloway added.
“We had a great chance and didn’t take it. They get one and wallop, it’s a clinical finish. That’s the difference. It was a great goal from their point of view, but we’re gutted.
“You can see the lack of confidence once we missed the chance. Up until then it was good. I thought we did OK.
“The team looked like they wanted to play and wanted to create for me, then we miss a chance and it’s the same old story. That’s the way things are.”