Matt Bloomfield insists he must let Saturday’s boos and jeers from Luton’s travelling supporters drive him, not deter him, after the 3-1 loss at Lincoln.
Two late City goals punished another brittle defensive display, quickly cancelling out Jordan Clark’s 77th minute equaliser and consigning the Hatters to a fourth defeat in eight opening League One fixtures.
It left Luton mid-table and heightened the scrutiny of Bloomfield’s position after the capitulation to ten-man Plymouth a week earlier. But to add to that, the away end at Sincil Bank turned poisonous at full-time, with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” aimed at the manager and “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” ringing out as players trudged off.
The Luton boss said: “You have to front it up. It’s my job as a manager to front it up. The reason I wanted to do this job was, the responsibility that it brings. I relish that. I enjoy the responsibility that it brings. And when things aren’t great, you have to front it up.
“I totally understand our supporters’ frustration. I totally understand their desire to see things being better on the pitch. but I can assure you, I can show everybody that no one cares, any more than I do. I’m working night and day to, try and put things into a better light and trying to create better results and I’ll continue to do so.”
Bloomfield branded the performance “unacceptable” but that it would serve as motivation to put things right.
“I don’t think I can be any more determined. But, it’s fuel. It is absolutely fuel. I have a huge desire to put everything right, to get more points on the board, to have our team playing the way that we all believe they can,” he said. “We’re in a tough moment right now, but the only way you get out of these tough moments is to stick together, keep working hard, and come out the other side stronger.”
The boos were hardly unexpected, after a second straight worrying defeat and a perceived lack of cohesion in the Hatters’ ranks.
Luton surrendered control early, their defensive lapses gifting Lincoln chances and exposing a lack of urgency and cohesion that enraged supporters.
Asked his response to some fans questioning his position, Bloomfield said: “I have a huge desire. I have a huge pride in my work, in our work as a group and, of course, it hurts.
“I’m human. Football managers are human. But it comes with leading a life in this job, comes resilience. And you have to build your resilience, you have to dig deep and you have to keep working and believe in what you’re doing. And I believe in what we’re doing, and we have to find ways to make that come out stronger.”
But on the result at Lincoln, he concluded: “There’s no excuse. It wasn’t good enough. And we have to be better.”
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