NEW Plymouth Argyle head coach Miron Muslic admitted there needs to be a ‘radical change’ within the club’s playing ranks following a humiliating 5-0 home defeat to Burnley.

Argyle remain rooted to the foot of the Sky Bet Championship table following a 15th league defeat of the season, six points adrift of the drop-zone, and in desperate search for answers following a display which supporters labelled as ‘embarrassing’.

The Clarets netted all five goals in a dominant first half showing. Dutch striker Zian Flemming claimed a brace, as did Josh Laurent, before Josh Cullen weighed in with another on the stroke of half time.

The Green Army vented their fury, not just at half time, but during the second half and again at full time, leaving Muslic with more questions than answers in just his third game in charge.

“My message after the game towards the team was that we need a radical change inside the locker room,” he said. “We need to change this mentality, this attitude. We need to bring players in who really want to fight for Argyle.

“That’s the only chance we have. We have to be brave with this. And I will be brave with this. I will try my best possible to support this team - and to support this team - but we need to get another mentality and just another attitude inside. If we can manage to do this, and we have to do this, this is our only chance.

“I think we need to be brave with these decisions because it’s not about today. What happened today happened I think a couple of times this season already.

“It’s written all over the last year and the only way to change this is to be very brave with taking all these decisions to change some positions, to refresh the team. There are still a lot of good, good guys inside over there (the changing room) with the right mindset and they need more support.”

It was certainly a dismal display from the Pilgrims, who this Saturday make the long trek to Sunderland for their latest Championship outing.

Muslic is hopeful he may have new personnel to call upon before that fixture, but whether or not Morgan Whittaker will feature remains to be seen.

The Argyle boss confirmed after the game that the forward had been selected for the Burnley game, but did not show up in time and failed to make the squad at all.

Whittaker has been the subject of interest from Championship rivals Burnley and Middlesbrough this month, but it appears he may have played his last game for the club.

“We need players who really want to play for Argyle so we can always count on them, and we need players who are ready to give everything,” added Muslic. “I know he’s a target and linked with transfers I think from summer on, let’s see.

“He was in the selection [against Burnley] and he was not there. Morgan is an Argyle player, under contract, and he has responsibilities and obligations towards Argyle. Like I said, that’s one of the reasons Argyle is struggling for the last few months.

“Morgan didn't show up. We had a game today and he was in the selection and he was not there, and that's everything I have to say on Morgan.”