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Target: O'Sullivan says he accepts the brickbats
Under-fire Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan is banking on "hard work" to see him through the most challenging period of his career.
Ireland are on the brink of a bewildering group exit from the World Cup - a dreadful return given the squad has been widely hailed the nation's most talented of all time.
Mission impossible awaits against Argentina next Sunday with failure to win by more than seven points while scoring at least four tries intensifying speculation over O'Sullivan's future.
The odds on the 48-year-old departing before the Six Nations are shortening by the week with the decision to award him a new four-year contract before the World Cup further cranking up the pressure, not to mention looking a tad premature.
But O'Sullivan accepts the brickbats are part of the job and draws strength from a similarly trying period in November 2005 when Ireland were thrashed by New Zealand and Australia.
"I'm not enjoying the way the team is playing but that doesn't mean I'm not enjoying the World Cup experience," said O'Sullivan.
"It's a tough time right now but in this job you go through periods like this. In 2005 things didn't go well for us. It's similar now.
"It's accentuated by the fact we're at the World Cup and there's more focus on everything, but that's just part of the job.
"The criticism comes with the territory. When the team is playing well you get praised, so you must take the good with the bad.
"All I can do is keep my head down and keeping working at it. I've worked very hard since I got here and will continue to do so."
