Charlie Adam latest Stoke player to blast teammates in wake of relegation

Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam has joined goalkeeper Jack Butland's criticism of the playing squad after the club were relegated from the Premier League last weekend.

A late Patrick van Aanholt goal sealed a 2-1 win for Crystal Palace which sent Stoke down to the championship for the first time since the club were promoted to the Premier League in May 2008. Adam, who made 11 appearances for Stoke this season, said that the playing group should hang their heads in shame as a result of their demotion from the top tier of English football.

"I'm embarrassed to be part of something like that, because we should never be in that situation," Adam told BBC 5 Live. "But when a disease creeps in and separate issues go on, it's hard. As a group of players, we should hang our heads in shame, because that club should never be relegated. "As players, you have your seven or eight in the group that try to make it work and we failed."

Adam said that there were about five players in the squad that have gotten away with murder at the club and that the lack of discipline has been embarrassing. "I think some players have been getting away with murder for a long time and it's difficult for supporters. It's not just one or two, I think there are four or five that could be counted." The Scottish international's comments come on the back of Butland's recent criticism where he said that some of the signings that the club have made have been farcical.

"The whole recruitment process needs looking at, to be honest," he said. "There's been transfers that aren't even part of the squad for all kinds of reasons, whether it be discipline, whether it be lack of performance. "You've got to look at that - what decisions are being made and the type of characters. You look at others and they're not even here to have an input. It's not because they were playing at the top of their game, because if they were they'd be here," he continued. "Too many of the recent investments, and over the years, are completely unused and that's unacceptable. So before anyone is signed and any changes happen that's got to be looked at because it's been farcical really."

Record signing Giannelli Imbula, a midfielder who cost £18.3m from Porto, has spent this season on loan at French side Toulouse while forward Saido Berahino has started just 11 games since signing from West Brom for £12m in January 2017 and has never scored a goal for the club. Similarly, defender Kevin Wimmer, who Stoke bought from Tottenham for £18m last summer, was placed on a special fitness regime by manager Paul Lambert in March.