Gareth Barry is convinced there is a body of football fans desperate for Manchester City's big-money venture to fail.
The England midfielder was forced to apologise to manager Roberto Mancini for the ill-fated trip to St Andrews last week, which ended up heaping more negative publicity on City after pictures were taken of Barry, Joe Hart, Adam Johnson and Shay Given enjoying the revelry of student accommodation in the world famous Scottish golfing town.
Mancini had already made his displeasure known and the fact it was followed by a shock defeat at Wolves on Saturday only made matters worse.
Now the manager's position has been called into question ahead of Thursday night's Europa League encounter with Lech Poznan, even though City officials have insisted Mancini's job is not under threat.
With rows amongst players - including one on the field between Emmanuel Adebayor and Vincent Kompany at Molineux - being highlighted as further evidence of unrest in the camp, Barry is aware City are becoming a club under siege.
"Seems to be that way yes," he told the club's website, when asked whether he felt there were some outside the club who wanted City to fail.
"It is a bit sad really. Every little thing is getting scrutinised.
"If you were to scrutinise every Premier League match last weekend, or any football match, there will be arguments between players, more so when you are desperate to win.
"We have had two sets of players picked up now by the media saying we are arguing but that is because we are desperate to win.
"For me that is only a good sign and I am sure the manager has already pointed that out."
The first of those incidents was between James Milner and Yaya Toure at half-time during the home hammering by Arsenal last month.
It was after that encounter that Barry and his colleagues embarked on their ill-fated venture.
"We know we were in the wrong," he admitted.
"Even at my age you can still learn from different experiences.
"But that is in the past now. We are looking forward to Thursday's game first and getting back on track in the Premier League."
With a place in the knockout stages of the Europa League virtually assured already, City have half an eye on Sunday's Premier League trip to West Brom and then the eagerly-anticipated duel with Manchester United at Eastlands on November 10 which could either release the Blues from their current torment or twist the knife still further.
The continued absence of Carlos Tevez, who has been advised not to travel back from Argentina until Thursday at the earliest due to a thigh injury, is hardly helping matters but Barry is adamant it is time for his team-mates to join together and fight the common enemy.
"It is important now that we get together even more as a team and work harder," he said.
"This is a great group of players who are working with the manager and trying to do the right things.
"When things like that are being leaked I am surprised to be reading it really.
"Hopefully the right results on the pitch will get the right headlines."
