Chris Kinnear admits life is tough for him at Crabble right now but he remains convinced Whites can turn their season around.

Athletic have won just one of their opening 14 National League matches, leaving them next-to-bottom and five points from safety.

Their only win was against Havant & Waterlooville on August 14, since when they have taken just three points from a possible 30.

The run has led to speculation about Kinnear’s future at the club but the man himself says he has no plans to walk away.

He said: “People are entitled to their opinions. They (the fans) are disappointed just the same as I am, all I can do while I’m here is work as hard as I can, that goes for all of us, the coaching staff and the players.

“I just keep going until I’m told any different. I don’t feel pressure, it’s tough but I don’t feel any different.

“If you let things get to you, you start making funny decisions.

“I can only do what I’ve done for the last 32 years as a manager, try to get the team right and ready, prepared to get results but things don’t just happen straight away, you can’t just snap your fingers and make things right.

“There are a lot of sides who are suffering a little bit, but the club and the way it wants to push ahead, will get out of it, there’s no doubt.”

Kinnear admitted the mood in the dressing room was ‘very sombre’ after Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Barrow, but he said he has no problems with the squad’s attitude.

He added: “I’ve never had any question about their desire to win.

“You have bad days, today was a bad day and we’ve had a few too many but we’ve got to get our heads up and get on with it. It’s no good whingeing.”

Kinnear would like to strengthen his squad and hopes to have someone in before Saturday’s home game with leaders Salford City.

He said: “We’re working as hard as we can. We’re speaking to lots of people, other managers, clubs, players, it’s a matter of trying to get the right players who want to come and play for Dover.

“There are a lot more clubs in the South now going for the same players but that’s not an excuse, that’s something we’ve got to overcome.”

Moussa Diarra and George Smith both came off injured against Barrow with loan defender Smith suffering a serious facial injury after a first-half collision with Barrow’s Connor Brown.

There were fears he could have a hairline fracture but it turned out to be bad swelling and bruising.