OWEN Coyle told disgruntled Wigan Athletic fans to take a reality-check after a "horrible week" ended with a 3-1 loss to Derby County.
Nine days ago Latics had not lost at the DW Stadium in this campaign and were on the verge of qualifying for the Europa League's last 32.
However, a trio of defeats in front of their own supporters at the hands of Brighton, Zulte Waregem and the Rams has drawn criticism from Latics supporters.
"If it comes through expectation then so be it," Coyle said of the discontent.
"The expectation can only come from being in the Premier League because it's not as if Wigan Athletic have been winning games every week for four or five years, far from it. Wigan Athletic have been in the bottom three for the last four, five years and managed a few times to escape and they've done brilliantly to do that.
"They won the (FA) Cup which was brilliant but they lost their place in the Premier League and with them losing their place, the players, the ones of big value, left.
"It's building that team and putting it together. If people want to be ultra critical that's the nature of football these days.
"I'm old enough to deal with that; if they think there's something better that's all well and good. That's why we love football, it's all opinion."
Coyle added: "It's hard to take, it's been a horrible week.
"We lost our first game at home last week and it's a week that should have led to a lot more promise than what we've delivered."
