Stoke players have to 'suck up criticism' - Robins

Stoke City's players need to learn how to accept criticism if they are to be successful, according to head coach Mark Robins. The Potters were fourth in the Championship table at the start of December, just three points off the automatic promotion places, but they have won only six of their subsequent 23 games to slip to 13th place, 12 points adrift of the top six. "It's been a season of great promise to start with and then real disappointment," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.

"Everybody talks about that position we're in, being mid-table obscurity, and no-one wants that. The emotions in mid-table are totally different, so we need to be at the top end of the division. "I don't want to be at the bottom end of the division and we're not, but that's scant consolation for the promise the season showed at the start.

So the disappointment is there and it's tangible for everybody. " Stoke were beaten 2-0 at Derby County on Monday , and Robins is hoping his players can react the right way to the criticism which followed that performance when they host Blackburn Rovers on Saturday (15:00 BST). "We speak about ego, where if you get criticism nowadays it's difficult for people to take on board, but like I said at the end of the game, 'Suck it up'.

Understand what is going on, understand what your part of the bargain is, and deliver. That's our job. "It gives me a lot of information of how people cope in certain situations.