"They need to" - Pundit urges Plymouth Argyle to make Ian Foster call amid growing pressure | OneFootball

Pundit Carlton Palmer has urged Plymouth Argyle to stick with head coach Ian Foster until the end of the season.

Foster left his role as Steven Gerrard's assistant at Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq to take over at Home Park in January, replacing Steven Schumacher following his departure to Stoke City.

The 47-year-old enjoyed a strong start to his tenure, but his side's form has declined significantly in recent weeks, and they have now won just one of their last nine league games.

Argyle were beaten 1-0 at home by Preston North End on Saturday, with Liam Millar's first-half strike sealing all three points for the Lilywhites, and some supporters called for Foster to be sacked after the game.

Foster admitted that he understood the fans' frustration, but he believes the chants against him are not helpful to the team.

"I get the frustration, I get it, I do. If they want to turn the frustrations onto myself that's fine. Does it help? Not really. It doesn't help me, it doesn't particularly help the players either because we are all one team," Foster told Plymouth Live.

"If you look back to January you are in the running for Manager of the Month. Halfway through March they want you sacked. Is that football? Perhaps it is. Is it fair? I'm not sure it is to be perfectly honest."

The Pilgrims currently sit 18th in the Championship table, just two points above the relegation zone, and they are back in action when they face sixth-placed Norwich City at Carrow Road on Good Friday.

Palmer: Plymouth Argyle must give Ian Foster more time

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Palmer said that Plymouth should not sack Foster, and he believes seven to nine points could see the Pilgrims secure safety.

"Plymouth are in a very difficult period at this moment in time, only winning one of their last nine games," Palmer said.

"It's a very difficult time for the manager, Ian Foster is under pressure, the supporters are not liking his style of play.

"It's really difficult, it was always going to be difficult for Plymouth to survive in the Championship, the budget isn't the biggest by any stretch of the imagination, and it was always going to be a tough ask this season.

"They are outside the bottom three by two points, they need to pick up some results, and the Easter weekend is crucial. "But I still think they need to stick with Ian Foster until the end of the season. "If they sack him, they can't bring in a manager who will have any input in the transfer market because there's no players to be brought in, the only thing that you could hope for is that a manager has a feel good factor that gets you a few results. "If you're looking long-term, you've got to hold your nerve, stick with Ian Foster until the end of the season and hope he gets over the line, but we all know what football's about. "Plymouth have got Norwich away, Bristol City at home and then Rotherham away. "If Plymouth were to beat Rotherham away, I think it's going to go to the wire.

"Seven or nine points from their remaining games might be good enough to keep them in the division, I think they need to hold their nerve."

Plymouth Argyle facing big Ian Foster decision

It was always going to be tough for Foster to take over from Schumacher, and he lost key players such as Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Luke Cundle and Finn Azaz in the January transfer window.

However, there is no doubt that Plymouth's recent form is alarming, and it seems that Foster has lost the majority of the Argyle fan base.

Home Park was a fortress in the first half of the season, but the Pilgrims have lost their last four games on their own patch, and that is particularly concerning given their struggles on the road this season.

It looks like Argyle are going to stick with Foster for now, but the international break would be the perfect time to make a change, and former Plymouth manager and survival specialist Neil Warnock could be a tempting option following his departure from Aberdeen.