Dean Smith knows the time for rabble rousing speeches has gone. But he has a simple message for his Norwich City players rounding the final turn in the Premier League.
City’s fate will be sealed over the next nine games, starting at Brighton, but for many the game is already up after a miserable stoppage time defeat at Leeds last time out.
Smith stripped it right back to basics on Friday at Colney.
“We've not really talked about the 'last chance' saloon or this is as important as it gets now, because they know that,” he said. “I just want to see some fight from them.
"I want to see them drive each other, push themselves first and foremost, and start pushing each other.
"Really show to the supporters how much they care about winning football games for Norwich City. I want them to leave everything out that on the pitch and come back in with no regrets. That's the biggest thing at the end of this game.
“Is it make-or-break? It certainly is. We knew that with the two previous games, where we didn't get the results we wanted. We need to go into these games now and get results. That's the end of it.
"The players know what's at stake. They know the performance levels required - individually and collectively. We've got to be better.”
Smith rejects any suggestion morale in the camp is at rock-bottom after six straight league defeats.
“I had to build myself up first and get myself lifted after Leeds. But I've done that and I've been in the game long enough to know that results can go for or against you,” he said. “We're in a position we don't want to be in.
"But myself, Craig Shakespeare, Liam (Bramley), who is with us as well, we're fighters. And we'll continue fighting. We've spoken to the players about what's expected and what we want to see. But also they've told us what they want people to say about them as well.
“I've said we've been over reliant at times on Teemu (Pukki) and we need goals from other areas of the pitch. We have to go and create chances.
"The players have to stand up and be counted and go and help out Teemu, in terms of a goal return. It is the conversion rates that needs to improve.
"If we convert the chances we can be on the right side of results. So that's something that we have been working on these last three weeks.”
Brighton have also lost their last six in the Premier League, but Smith is a fan of Seagulls’ chief Graham Potter.
The duo were born within 25 miles of each other in the West Midlands before Potter’s coaching journey took him to Swedish fourth tier club Ostersund, and a fairytale rise that ended with the minnows reaching the group stage of the Europa League.
Swansea enticed him back to the UK in 2018 prior to joining the Seagulls, who he has kept in the Premier League for the past two seasons.
“Graham's been there a couple of years now and done really well so it's a tough game for us,” he said. “They are on a bad run but they are a possession-based team with some attacking threats.
"Very few British coaches will get the opportunity to manage in the Premier League, unless they've taken a team into the league. It was really pleasing to see that Graham actually got picked up by a Premier League club while managing in the Championship.
"He did a really good job at Ostersund, and then went to Swansea. Brighton took notice of the work he was doing and took him into the Premier League. He's a really good coach, a really good guy on top of that.
“They're going through a bit of a rough time themselves at the moment. The days are gone where we have to worry about what the opposition are going to do, but it is nice to see British coaches getting picked from the Championship to go into the Premier League.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here