LOSE AND I’M GONE

It’s been a poor start to the Carling Premiership season as they’ve picked up just five points from 11 games and Quinn knows that much will be determined in their next two matches against Distillery at home and Donegal Celtic away.

The Blues host Distillery at Mourneview Park this Saturday (kick-off 3pm) and Quinn knows that defeat is not an option for his under-performing side, who are now four points adrift at the foot of the table.

“I’m no fool. If we don’t get results in the next couple of games, it’s curtains,” he told the ‘MAIL.’

“If we don’t get two wins or a win and a draw from these two games, it’ll be time to be looking at the big picture. We can’t take any less than four points anyway. It wouldn’t be acceptable.

“I’m questioning myself and it’s a really difficult time for staff and management at the moment but I’m still confident that we can get out of the area that we’re in. It’s got to happen and it’s got to happen very quickly or else I’m out of a job. It’s as simple as that.

“The club and the fans certainly deserve a lot better than what we’re serving up at the minute. I take responsibility for that. If the team aren’t doing the business, the buck stops at the manager’s door.”

Quinn knows that he must restore his players’ confidence ahead of Saturday’s key clash and says that they can take some belief from their last performance against Tommy Wright’s men.

“I’ll be looking for a response from the players now,” he said.

“What do you do? You try and restore confidence, get them back up again and get a win out of the Whites on Saturday.

“It’s not that long ago we went up to them and were mugged in a 2-1 defeat. We didn’t play for ten minutes in the second half and they got two goals. We were by far the better side but I’d rather win ugly on Saturday.

“If we win, I’ll be happy enough. I don’t care what way it comes.”

Before they can take on Distillery, however, the Blues must travel to Windsor Park to take on Linfield in the Irn-Bru League Cup tonight (Wednesday - kick-off 7.45pm).

“Firstly we go to Windsor on Wednesday night. That’s a game in which we want to do well in and get a result in but the league is the important thing,” said Quinn, more focused on Saturday’s match.

“I’ll make a couple of changes for Wednesday night, see how they go and take things from there. I know that we’re capable of a lot better than what we showed against Crusaders.”

Quinn also didn’t rule out a chance for Joe Finlay to impress with the club’s other strikers failing to impress.

“Joe came on in the second half at Crusaders but it was hard bringing a kid in at that stage of the game,” said Quinn.

“We were a poor side in that second-half so it’s hard to judge Joe. There’s a chance for him now but as I say, we’ll see how Wednesday night goes and we’ll take it from there.”