Ashley Giles has called on Warwickshire supporters to get behind the team after they were booed off the pitch following the humbling defeat against Leicestershire on Monday.

Warwickshire ended the first home limited overs game of Giles' tenure as director of cricket by recording their lowest List A total in six years. While most reasonable observers might have expected any improvement to take some time, a few spectators appear to have run out of patience already.

"The performance was disappointing for everyone," Giles admitted, "but the booing doesn't help.

"We could hear it. I suppose you get these people everywhere, but I don't think it was the majority. Most supporters understand the situation, I think, and if the guy who was shouting out wants to come and talk to me, then they can.

"I understand that supporters are frustrated but we need support and we need time. Good things won't just happen over night. It's a process. I've said all along that I wanted to manage expectations, but it seems that not everyone has understood that. It's up to us to turn things around.

"Yes, we've lost two one-day games. But without upsetting the members or making the losses seem worthless, I feel that as long as I am learning and 'Mads' [captain Darren Maddy] is learning then we are making progress. We're finding out a lot about these players all the time.

"I don't want them to worry about what is said or written. They have to stay in their bubble and concentrate on their processes. Technically there's not a lot wrong. The problems are more tactical and mental."

Giles admits that there have been times when he has struggled to contain his reactions, but knows that it is essential he retains his equilibrium whatever the situation.

"Performances like that are disappointing, but I don't want to be the sort of coach that jumps and screams when we win or when we lose," Giles said. "I am learning and there have been times it has been difficult. You have to remain level and behaving as if the whole world has ended after a defeat isn't going to help.

"We had a brief chat straight after the game on Monday, when we talked about doing a lot of things right. We did pretty well in the field.

"But we also have to be honest. We did not play well enough. We need to play better and we need to play smarter. To do that the players need to take away any outside influences such as the fear of losing and focus on the job. 'Every ball is an event' Bob Woolmer used to say and, as long as we just focus on each ball, have a plan and back it all the way, we'll be alright."

Giles has advised the younger members of the squad that they could learn much from Ian Bell.

Bell, just 26 years old and with his best years ahead of him, requires just 28 runs to reach 5,000 in first-class cricket for Warwickshire. He will be the fastest (of those that had not played first-class cricket elsewhere previously) man to the milestone in the club's history by a country mile.

Bell has had 128 first-class innings for the club, while Andy Moles is the current record holder, having taken 149 innings.

Jonathan Trott requires only 166 for the same milestone. He has only had 130 innings so far and is likely to be the fifth fastest to the milestone. Bearing in mind the grim season he had in 2007, that's a remarkable record.

"I strongly believe that 'Belly' could be one of the best players in the world very shortly," Giles said. "I've noticed a change in him in the last 12 months: the way he practises; the way he talks about his cricket. He's going in the right direction and it's been great to have him around.

"I've told the young players they should shadow what he does as it's no coincidence that he keeps improving. He works very hard and he's really flourished under Peter Moores."