Wednesday 16 December 2015 10:03, UK
Rotherham boss Neil Redfearn said his half-time team talk during the 2-0 defeat at Huddersfield was a "condemnation of them as professional footballers".
Redfearn let rip after a woeful first-half showing saw them go into the break 1-0 down after Mustapha Carayol put the Terriers in the ascendency with a fine 25-yard strike.
Although the Millers improved slightly after the break they were unable to find a way back into the game and Ismael Miller's strike in the final 20 minutes put the game to bed for the hosts.
It leaves Redfearn's side entrenched in the drop zone, where they will spend Christmas as they sit four points adrift of safety.
"The first was shocking, we were a yard off the pace," the boss said.
"It took a b******ing at half-time for them to come out and show some spirit after the break and that should never happen.
"It's application and it's working things out. They have got to apply themselves far better.
"What has got to be a given for us is that battling fighting spirit.
"There's too many times where things happened where we didn't have enough men out there. There's no excuse for them to go out and perform like that.
"I cannot understand, there is no excuse for the way we started the first half. I am bitterly disappointed.
"For me to have to go in at half-time and b*****k them is a condemnation of them as professional footballers.
"If they give me absolutely everything and they're just short, I'll protect them all day long. But I cant forgive that, it wasn't good enough."
In contrast it was all smiles for Huddersfield boss David Wagner, who registered his first home win after a run of four straight losses at the John Smith's Stadium came to an end.
The three points were rarely in doubt, apart from a 20-minute period in the second half, and Wagner was pleased with the manner of the performance.
"In the end the result was fair," he said. "Results are always are important, they make life much easier. It is very important how we get our results, the positive and the negative.
"We get the result because we did on the pitch what we spoke about.
"For me at the moment the table is not the most important thing, the most important thing is what the guys try to bring onto the pitch.
"Today for 60-70 minutes, we were very good.
"To win a derby is always something which makes you satisfied. Not only did we win this game but we showed a very good performance."
