Davies: We will turn things around

BILLY Davies today said he expects to shoulder the blame for Nottingham Forest's Championship struggle, but insisted: "I am confident we will turn things around."

The Reds are looking to halt a run of six games without a win when they travel to face promotion chasing Reading tomorrow.

And, as manager, Davies admits he is responsible for inspiring a change in fortunes.

But he says there are positives to be taken from their recent performances and is convinced Forest will avoid the drop.

"I would blame the manager (for the recent run), he is the one that picks the team," he said. "I am the manager and all managers take the blame. My job is to get results on the park and, at this moment in time, we are not getting results.

"So if I was a fan, I would turn my anger on the manager, the man who picks the team.

"I am a winner, I'm disappointed and annoyed that we're being beaten. I'm concerned with the softness that runs through this side, with the way we have lost matches. But there have been lots of positives in the matches, lots of good spells."

In the meantime, Davies is ready to face public criticism and says having a thick skin is part of football management. "I know I am a public figure, I expect stick, I expect some fans to dislike me, I expect all of that," he said. "It is not a surprise, it does not change my philosophy. I am not being arrogant when I say that.

"But I am going to do the best job I can and I am confident about what we are doing.

"Even the top managers need the resources and, without resources, life becomes more difficult."

Davies says he found himself in identical situations at Preton and Derby.

"Is this the first flak I have had in football? I had flak in my first week at Preston," he said. "I had flak at Derby, too, when I first took over.

"After the first week at Preston I was Billy 'Who?' when they wanted a different manager, a man with more experience and more of a track record.

"But they were not saying that two years later after the second play-off final.

"It was the same at Derby, when we lost the first two or three games. They did not say the same thing at the end of the season, when they were £100m richer (because of promotion to the Premiership).

"I am very patient, I am very focused and very realistic. I will work very hard in the short term, to keep the club in the division.

"After that we will work on what needs to be done to guide this club to play-off finals and hopefully to promotion."