Paul Warne: Derby County boss demands Rams 'up levels' after Plymouth defeat
- Published
Paul Warne took over as Derby boss in September
Boss Paul Warne says Derby County's hopes of finishing in the League One promotion play-offs are in jeopardy after Tuesday's 2-1 defeat at Plymouth.
The Rams slipped to sixth in the table, 13 points adrift of Plymouth in second.
It leaves them just four point above Wycombe, who are outside the play-off spots with a game in hand on the Rams.
When asked about the potential of again facing Plymouth in the play-offs, Warne replied: "It won't be if we play at that level, because we won't be in it."
"We need to up our levels and consistency of play for longer than 45 minutes.
"It could be a play-off game and, when it got difficult tonight, some of the players didn't play as well as I would like, which is the nicest way to put it.
"I've not spent two days away from my family and the fans haven't travelled for seven or eight hours to watch their team lose and we haven't come here to lose.
"That level of performance is not something I want to be involved with and nor should the players."
A deflected second-half goal from Callum Wright and Ryan Hardie penalty saw the Pilgrims fight back to beat the Rams, who had gone ahead through Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.
Before the trip to Devon, Warne said the Rams needed to beat Plymouth to remain in contention for automatic promotion.
Defeat was Derby's third straight on the road and means they have collected just eight points from a possible 21 since mid-February.
Warne, who as Rotherham boss won promotion from League One on three occasions, said he "shot from the hip" when speaking to players in the changing rooms at Home Park after the defeat.
"You always wobbled a bit," Warne told BBC Radio Derby of his previous promotion bids.
"I'm not one to come out and criticise players in the press, but when I speak to them, half of them aren't even looking at me in the eye because they know what I'm saying is right.
"Football isn't complicated. We haven't lost a game because their tactics were better. Fundamentally, player for player they were stronger and this is a concern we need to address.
"My biggest disappointment was that we didn't put a real stink up to get an equaliser, that there wasn't enough fight within us to get back into it."