England Under-21 international Danny Rose has insisted that the players are to blame for the team's dismal U21 Euro 2013 display.
The Tottenham Hotspur youngster leaped to the defence of manager Stuart Pearce, admitting that the squad let him down at the finals.
"Have we let him down? Definitely," Rose told reporters. "He has put his trust in a lot of players, especially me.
"We don't know if [Tuesday] was his last game, so to not win or get a point is a real let-down for him.
"That's what we have done [let him down]. We haven't performed as well as we could have done and certainly never played as we did in qualifying."
The Young Lions lost all three of their group matches, finishing bottom of the pile following a 1-0 defeat to hosts Israel in their final game.
"I know the players have been getting stick but I would like to think that we are all in it together. We were when we were winning, so we should all be together when we are losing," Rose added.
"It is very disappointing and embarrassing, really. It is hard to put a finger on what has happened. The preparation was second to none. The manager makes sure that is always the way, whether it is a qualifier or a friendly.
"I can't fault the preparation and I can't fault the manager. It is just hard to put a finger on but there is no excuse for not winning a game."
Pearce's contract is due to expire later this month, with his future currently uncertain.
Mark Langshaw
