Sunday 25 October 2015 11:54, UK
Tim Sherwood is not worried about a perceived lack of support from the Aston Villa hierarchy in the wake of their 2-1 defeat to Swansea at Villa Park.
Andre Ayew's late winner condemned Villa to their sixth consecutive loss in the Premier League, and their eighth in ten league games, but Sherwood believes the club has the quality to turn it around.
"I've heard nothing to the contrary, and I'll continue working as hard as I've done since I arrived," Sherwood told Sky Sports after the game.
"We're in a difficult moment, but I believe we will get out of it and this club will be in the Premier League next season. They have got to improve surely, they have got to improve and I'm expecting them to improve to keep us in the league.
"We survived last season and went to the cup final and nobody spoke to me then. So I'm not expecting anybody to speak to me now."
In the press conference after the game, Sherwood joked he will avoid a call from the board if it wants to sack him.
"I'll just turn my phone off," he said.
The defeat leaves Villa on four points after 10 Premier League games, with a trip to Southampton in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday next on Sherwood's agenda.
Before Saturday's match Sherwood had described the game as "must-win", and he declined the chance to go back on that statement following the defeat.
"I'm always positive," Sherwood continued. "I always think we are going to win. The players are giving everything they've got, it is not effort and desire that's the problem. It's a lack of quality.
"It's not about me personally, it's about the football club and we are all in it together, and we are in a little bit of a mess at the moment."
