Joe Allen | It is down to us as players to take responsibility

Joe Allen insists it is down to the Swansea City squad to start producing consistent performances for head coach Russell Martin and take responsibility in a difficult moment.

The Swans face Rotherham in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Monday night looking to bounce back from a run of four defeats from the last five games.

That sequence has seen them lose ground on the top six, and there has been a tangible sense of frustration on the back of a January transfer window where no additions were made to the playing squad.

But midfielder Allen, one of the most experienced players in a youthful squad, and someone who worked under the likes of Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers in his first stint at the club, says the players have to be prepared to stand up and be counted and produce a performance under the lights against the Millers.

“We are absolutely united and behind the manager. I can’t speak highly enough of him,” said Allen.

“The same goes for the work we do on the training ground and on a matchday.

“I’ve been fortunate and lucky to work with brilliant managers, and I hold him in the same regard as those top guys.

“I am convinced that in his career he is going to show exactly why.

“The players are 100% behind what he does and the responsibility is on us as players to perform more consistently, and that will be the aim going into Monday.”

At 32, Allen - who recently announced his retirement from Wales duty after a superb 74-cap career taking in three major tournaments - is one of the older heads in the Swansea dressing room.

The former Stoke and Liverpool player is part of a team that has seen nearly half of all minutes this season played by those aged 23 or under; a figure that is 10 per cent higher than last term.

But Allen finds working with the younger members of the squad to be an invigorating experience.

“The onus is on me to help as much as I can,” said Allen.

“That is really important as a more experienced and more senior player.

“I have absolutely loved coming back and I loved that it is a young dressing room.

“It keeps me on my toes as well, to be learning some of the new ways or methods of the younger generation.

“It keeps me trying to improve my own game and keep progressing, which is what I will always strive to do.”