Jordan Flores felt he had to apologise to Bohemians fans for the team’s ‘pathetic performance’ in yesterday’s FAI Cup defeat to Shelbourne.
Shels ran riot at Tolka Park and wiped the floor with their city rivals in a 3-0 rout to power into a semi-final clash away to Waterford.
With nothing to play for but pride, Bohs season is finished and travelling supporters were not afraid to vent at their team.
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Huge numbers of Bohs fans streamed out of Tolla with 18 minutes to play once Sean Boyd sealed the win with his second of the game.
Flores led a small group of Gypsies players who walked down to the away terrace, applauding those supporters who stayed to the end.
But there were some angry words and gestures thrown their way from the frustrated faithful after a dire display.
Flores said: “It was just a pathetic performance and I didn’t really want to hide away from it. All of the lads should be the same.
“If you were on the pitch then you need to own up to that. That’s why I went over, to tell them that I agreed with what they were saying and that things need to change.
“I’ve not much more to say other than it was a disaster. People, well, us as a team, us as a club, need to look at ourselves and need to change. That’s all I can say.”
Two weeks ago, Bohs beat arch rivals and league champions Shamrock Rovers in a league clash at Dalymount Park.
Asked what was different against Shelbourne yesterday, Flores said: “Nothing, that’s the frustrating thing.
“We seem to think we can turn up against teams like Rovers and then when it comes to teams that are in or around us in the league, we don’t.
“I don’t know how to describe it because emotions are running high and I don’t want to say anything that I regret.”
Bohs are searching for a new manager following Keith Long’s exit and interim boss Derek Pender slammed yesterday’s performance as ‘embarrassing’.
The next manager through the door has a huge rebuilding job on their hands and ex-Dundalk ace Flores added: “There’s no hiding place.
“When you see the same thing week-in, week-out, things need to change and now is the time to start building towards that change.”