Bolton manager Ian Evatt demanded his under-performing players shoulder some responsibility after fans chanted for his dismissal following a dismal 3-1 loss at Rotherham.
Evatt’s side were outplayed at the New York Stadium and the supporters directed their frustrations at him.
Evatt said: “It’s a collective and the players have to take responsibility as well.
“I don’t send my players out to show that lack of courage, fight and energy. It’s about time that maybe I called them out, because it’s me that gets it all.
“I’m okay to take it all, but sooner or later they have got to take responsibility.
“The first place I look is in the mirror, at myself, but some of them need to look at themselves too because that, for this club, isn’t good enough.
“We were second best all over the pitch.
“We concede a goal from virtually nothing. All of their good stuff was self-inflicted.
“Everyone can see the conditions and the pitch was lively and we are still making daft, erratic decisions.
“The disappointing thing for me was that everyone knows what you are up against when you are coming here.
“If you don’t understand what a Steve Evans team looks like and what they are motivated to be, then you shouldn’t be in the game.
“We spoke about it, but we were still second best and did not do the basics well enough.
“We were out-run, out-battled and out-scrapped.”
Bolton are winless at Rotherham since in 1966 and that run never looked like being ended after the Millers took a two-goal advantage into the break.
Mallik Wilks caused problems for Bolton’s Ricardo Santos and he won a penalty when he again snuck by the defender and was hauled down when through on goal.
Wilks himself stroked home nonchalantly from the spot.
A referee change delayed the game before the break, with fourth official Paul Cooper stepping in to replace Alan Young.
Rotherham took advantage of the added time and netted their second on the stroke of half-time when Reece James smashed in.
The calls for Evatt’s dismissal intensified in the second half as Dion Charles missed a glaring chance to get Bolton back into the game.
The visiting faithful’s misery was compounded when Sam Nombe tapped in the third after Wilks’ shot had been palmed into his path.
John McAtee netted a consolation four minutes from time after being slipped in by Charles.
Rotherham boss Evans said: “We spoke to the group about making incremental steps forward on the pitch.
“Ian is a good manager and he’s got a good squad of players, but I felt they got us in a frame of mind that we wanted to play.
“We don’t get carried away, it’s a big week ahead.”
