Alan Pardew insists the dressing room argument after West Brom's defeat to Huddersfield Town is a positive sign in the Baggies' battle for Premier League survival.
Albion's 2-1 defeat at The Hawthorns was their fourth successive loss in the league, leaving them rooted to the foot of the table, seven points from safety.
Following the latest reverse it emerged that tempers flared in the home dressing, captain Chris Brunt reportedly arguing with his team-mates and Pardew.
The incident comes after four Baggies players allegedly stole a taxi in Barcelona during a mid-season training break that Pardew had hoped would bring the squad together.
However, the 56-year-old manager insists Brunt's forthright views were not the only ones shared in the changing room, and that it demonstrated the hunger within the club.
"The stuff which came out of the dressing room on Saturday was disappointing because what goes on in the dressing room should stay in the dressing room, in my opinion," he told a pre-match media conference.
"But we did have drug testers in there so we had people in there not normally associated with the dressing room.
"Having said that, I'm not sure if our fans will be disappointed in that. What do they expect us to do? Not have words? Not have conflict in the dressing room after a performance like that?
"It came out about Brunty but it was not just Brunty. The captain [Jonny Evans] and everybody else, myself and John Carver all had opinions on why that performance was such.
"I'd be foolish and not a good manager if I didn't listen to those comments and look at them in reflection and come up, hopefully, with some answers for this Saturday."
Pardew only has one league win as Albion boss to his name since replacing Tony Pulis in November, and some reports have suggested defeat against Watford on Saturday would seal his departure.
He disagrees, though, and is confident he still has the backing of the Baggies squad with 10 games remaining.
"I don't know [if it's his last game in charge] because that's not my decision," he added.
"If you think I'm going to walk away with the experience I've got, with a team that probably isn't functioning very well, then you're wrong. I want to try and make it function as long as I can.
"I've always been questioned as a manager.
"But it's about dealing with it, frustration and anger in the dressing room is part of sport. I have no problem with it to be honest. The only disappointing thing was it came out of the dressing room."
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