Kurtis Guthrie’s remarkably honest assessment of Colchester United’s current predicament near the foot of League Two was one of the most revealing interviews with a U’s player for some time.

His views about the U’s flagging fortunes might not be shared by everyone, nor his choice to speak so candidly in public about the team’s problems.

Indeed, some traditionalists would perhaps prefer for such thoughts to be kept in-house and in the privacy and sanctuary of the changing room.

Furthermore, Guthrie's ill-advised comments about Colchester's fans not backing the team this season were as he says, totally wrong and led to him yesterday issuing an apology.

However, in an age where quotes in professional football can be all too predictable and sterile, his refreshingly honest take on what is going wrong at Colchester was fascinating and raw in its presentation.

Too often, players and managers are accused of insincerity and artificiality in their assessment of performance, of sugar-coating the truth.

This was certainly not the case with Guthrie’s comments, though.

Perhaps he said what a lot of other people are thinking but are too reluctant to say.

Indeed, now that Colchester find themselves in the relegation zone in the bottom tier of the EFL, perhaps now is the time for some straight talking.

After all, if Guthrie is right in suggesting that some people want to hide away from the reality of the situation that the U’s are in, maybe facing up to the predicament and being honest about it is best for everyone.

They say talk is cheap and it is how Colchester’s players perform on the pitch – and the results they subsequently achieve – that they will ultimately be judged.

The U’s are missing a number of key players due to injury and the absence of the likes of Chris Porter, Lloyd Doyley and Lewis Kinsella has undoubtedly been detrimental, as too has the time the likes of experienced players such as Owen Garvan and Doug Loft have spent on the sidelines, this season.

But until January at least, U’s head coach John McGreal must work with the resources that he has.

And he knows that no matter how low they are feeling after recent results, his players must now pick themselves up for another tough away game tonight at Cheltenham Town, who lie just a point above them near the foot of the League Two table.

Colchester have not won a match in November since 2013 - now would be as good a time as any to buck that trend and transfer their words into actions.