With AFC Bournemouth expensively assembled squad only being able to muster a single win (v Yeovil Town) so far this season, coupled with wide spread calls from the fan base for Groves/Brooks to go, the manager himself has come out to admit that the criticism hurts.
Groves is quoted on BBC Radio Solent as saying: "It's tough, there is no doubt about it. Of course it [criticism] stings; but you have to look at the bigger picture. You have to keep a level head. But when you have experienced those tough times at other clubs it enables you to stay composed in your work environment and make sure you focus on what happens on the pitch. We've had conversations with the chairman on a regular basis since day one but the results are what the business is about and we need to address those. The work needs to be done on the training pitch. They are all big games and if you come off the back of defeat you are always after a reaction. First and foremost we have to go into games competitive and make sure we address the performance of last week. Up until the weekend the performances had been okay but we had not been clinical enough. So we need to continue creating chances and be more clinical in front of goal and hopefully that brings you the three points".