Ange Postecoglou remained defiant as Nottingham Forest fans called for him to be sacked after barely three weeks in charge.
A damaging 3-2 Europa League defeat by Midtjylland means Postecoglou is winless in his opening six games in charge of Forest.
He has become the first permanent Forest manager for 100 years to fail to win any of his first six matches.
After Valdemar Byskov scored the visitors’ late third goal at the City Ground, many Forest supporters chanted “You’re getting sacked in the morning” towards the former Tottenham boss.
“The fans are disappointed. They are allowed to have an opinion on it. I heard their opinion,” said a downcast Postecoglou, who was also jeered as he walked down the tunnel at full-time.
“Nothing surprises me in football. It’s the climate we’re in. It seems that’s the way things are going. It’s nothing I can control.”
It was just over four months ago when Postecoglou was lifting this trophy with Spurs, but he was dismissed 16 days later, paying the price for a dire domestic campaign. Now he is struggling to get results right at another club.
The first European game at the City Ground for 29 years ended in crushing disappointment, and the finger of blame was pointed at Postecoglou before the final whistle had blown.
Rubbing it in, fans then sung in praise of Postecoglou’s predecessor Nuno Espirito Santo, who is now with West Ham.
Nuno guided Forest to seventh place in the Premier League last season before being sacked as his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis broke down.
Defeat to Midtjylland came after Saturday’s 1-0 home loss to Sunderland in the Premier League.
These results have changed the mood at Forest, with supporters also turning to question Marinakis.
“My responsibility is to make sure we get some wins for this football club and progress it,” said Postecoglou.
“I would prefer if people were optimistic in their outlook of what I’m doing. I can only change that by winning games of football.
“Irrespective, that’s not going to change the way I’m taking things on. I really believe in the process of what we’re doing and I don’t think we’re far away from being the team that can eradicate the situation we’re in at the moment and get the results.”
Forest spent around £180m in the summer, looking to build on last season’s success, but Nuno was sacked last month after his relationship with Marinakis worsened.
Postecoglou replaced him on 9 September, but Forest have failed to sustain last season’s momentum and struggled against their visitors from the Danish Superliga.
The Australian head coach believes his team remain close to a breakthrough.
“Yes I do, nothing I saw tonight changes any of that,” Postecoglou said. “I get the mood around the place isn’t going to be great, and I understand people’s attitude at the moment, particularly towards me, but it’s not unfamiliar territory for me.
“I believe we are on the right track and when we get through this period of uncertainty we are in, we will be on a good path.”
Chris Wood’s stoppage-time penalty could not save Forest who earlier conceded first-half goals from Ousmane Diao and Mads Bech, either side of Dan Ndoye’s equaliser.
Forest drew 2-2 at Real Betis last week and go to Newcastle in the Premier League on Sunday before the international break.
Postecoglou said: “It’s a really poor outcome from us. It was an important night for many reasons and [a] similar tale, us letting ourselves down in key moments and having a mountain to climb.
“If you allow the opportunity to score every time they get near your goal, it’s going to be hard to win games of football.”
