JEERS can be justified, but Dion Charles has called on the 'Green and White Army' to cheer Northern Irleand on to a long-awaited first Nations League victory.
Ian Baraclough's side welcome Kosovo to Windsor Park this Saturday evening having lost 10 and drawn four matches in the competition, taking in the tail-end of previous boss Michael O'Neill's reign.
If the hosts don't win, their last chance this time will come next Tuesday night away to group leaders Greece. The team from the former Yugoslavia won 3-2 back in June and NI supporters have voiced their discontent at only picking up two points so far, both from draws with Cyprus.
Charles accepts such criticism, but hopes that positive backing will spur Northern Ireland on to a win this weekend:
"It could be an extra man for us. I've not played in front of a better crowd than our home support, ever; I probably won't. So when they're behind us, it's brilliant. We just need them behind us, supporting in the right way.
"Any time I have played at Windsor the fans have been incredible and it does help us. If the performances aren't right on the pitch they have every right to have a moan but I'd like to see them behind us to give us an extra edge."
The Bolton Wanderers striker is keen to break his own personal duck, having not yet netted for NI in 11 appearances, albeit always off the bench.
Having moved from Accrington Stanley, he feels that playing on a bigger stage has helped him:
"No disrespect to Accrington, but it wasn't the biggest of clubs. After my move to Bolton, where you play in front of big crowds, it's only going to benefit me when I come away on international duty and play in front of big crowds, so it's been good for me.
"My main aim is to hopefully get that first start and get that first goal. I've been close a few times when I've come on. I just want to keep my head down, keep working hard and get the chance to score some goals."
Having said that, Charles has put his case for a start to Baraclough, although he wasn't banging the manager's door down: "It was just a chat when I came in. We were just talking about how I've been performing at Bolton, things I can improve on. It was just a normal chat."
Yet he admits his patience is wearing thin: "It is frustrating for me because I want to be playing. Everywhere I've been, I've pretty much played every game.
"Coming into the international set-up, it's a different environment I've had to get used to. I've had to find my feet and I'm just looking forward to trying to get that starting spot."
Charles and his new Bolton colleague Conor Bradley – on loan from giants Liverpool – came on together to help turn a 2-0 deficit against Cyprus into a dramatic 2-2 draw in Belfast back in June.
The 26-year-old believes NI can build on that comeback, and that the squad is stronger than during the summer:
"It just shows the quality and the character that we have got in the squad that, again, people might have thought the game was dead but we kept going to the final whistle.
"I had no doubt if we had played another five minutes or so we would have gone on and scored another. So it was massive for us that, it can give us belief that if we play on the front foot, we can hurt anybody…"
Although Bradley has scored several times for Bolton, he's also missed some opportunities – set up by Charles, who hasn't let him forget those: "I've been winding him up the past few days about those chances. There was actually another one later on in the game where he has mis-hit it and said to me, 'I'll have to cut you a bit of slack, it's harder than it looks'.
"It's great to build relationships with the players. Things become second nature. You know the movements they make and where they want the ball, so me and Conor have quite a good relationship.
"I think as a whole squad we're in a better place this time around. We've got more boys playing week in week, out. We perhaps didn't have that in June so we're looking forward to it."
Given the chance, he insists he can fire Northern Ireland to victory: "I'm confident in my own ability. I've worked very hard to get to where I am now and I will continue to do that. If I get my opportunity, I'm sure I will repay the manager."
