FURIOUS Chris Waddle had just one word for Burnley's pathetic exit from the FA Cup - "Embarrassing!"

The player-manager and his side were jeered off the field by a poor Turf Moor crowd as Third Division Rotherham strolled into the second round 3-0.

And Waddle ripped into the attitude of his players following strong words in the dressing room after the game.

"That was totally embarrassing. Everyone who had a shirt on tonight has to look at themselves and look at people in the eye.

"It showed tonight, and in the second half at Grimsby, that we have to get our feet on the ground and roll our sleeves up.

"The sad part of it is that the chasing and closing down, which realistically is the easy part of football, is a big problem.

"We can only apologise to the crowd that turned up.

"We have to get the players rallied for Saturday and a big game against Northampton who will probably be a more powerful side.

"There can not be a lot of players surprised if they are not playing on Saturday.

"I will do what I think needs doing for Saturday."

Waddle, however, will not be able to call on the services of Manchester City striker Gerry Creaney.

Repeated attempts to bring Creaney back to Turf Moor after a successful two-month loan spell, when he scored eight goals, have been blocked. "It is a no go at the minute. I am obviously very keen to get him here but funds are not available so we will have to put it on ice.

"At our end I spoke to our board and didn't really get the thumbs up," said Waddle.

And the manager believes his side's form has dipped since Creaney's return to Maine Road.

"I really believe Gerry was a big factor.

"He used to come off and link the gap between midfield and attack.

"The two we have got at the minute like to stay right up the field.

"Maybe I will have to change the style of how we play because we haven't got Gerry or a Gerry-style player," Waddle added.

Paul Smith, who missed last night's game with ankle ligament damage, is expected to be back for Saturday's game.

And Waddle will be looking for a major response from all his players when league duties resume.

"You get fed up of ranting and raving. Players have got to take responsibility.

"Some players take ranting and raving on board, some players don't.

"We will see now who can roll their sleeves up and who has got the character.

"In my eyes the last three performances weren't good enough.

"I'm out there as well and I will say what I feel on the pitch. "Glenn will have his opinion as he can see a lot more at times.

"But when they cross that white line there's not a lot that Glenn Roeder on the bench can do.

"We give players jobs to do and at the minute too many players aren't doing them.

"You cannot fault players when the effort is there but the effort has dropped back. It looks too much as if it is hard work for players.

"Three weeks ago we had lost one in nine and I don't see why we have gone off the boil.

"We looked like a team out of confidence and out of form.

"We had a great opportunity to play a non-League side in the second round and put ourselves in the hat with the big boys. That's the sad thing about it."

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