Matt, a pretty miserable night in more ways than one with the weather and the result?
Yeah. Worse than miserable. I think it’s probably the most embarrassed I’ve been of a team in that first half. Just the way we went about our work wasn’t to the desired level, the acceptable level, a professional level. But as difficult as tonight was, also a bit more clarity and hopefully a bit more clarity for the watching world that this squad probably isn’t quite where people think it is and the players aren’t quite where we need them to be. Collectively, tonight we were second best.
Nine changes, did some players obviously not take the opportunity? Where does it leave them now?
I don’t know. It’s not a good question, it’s the right question to ask. But you watched the same game as I did. But I’m getting stick and I will get stick because fans will always give the manager stick. Who do you put on the pitch as a manager? And not many of those players tonight said pick me in the next league game. I think that’s a fair assessment of the game.
I can go into all the detail of the world in terms of individual players and performances and opportunity X, Y, Z. The game always tells the truth.
People will say the manager’s opinion, the manager not giving an opportunity. That game told a lot of people the truth tonight.
So what do they do now? They have to impress you on the training ground, it’s going to take time.
Let’s be honest, we can’t just carry people through seasons. Some are in a lucky position to train with us, let alone be with this football club. It’s got to mean more than it did to them tonight. They’re young. They don’t quite know what the game really stands for as yet. It certainly felt like that tonight in terms of where a lot of them were, but they’ll quickly learn, I’m afraid.
Is there a bit of sympathy for Matt [Hall] in goal? Obviously letting four goals in the first half. It must have been quite a lonely experience.
A lot of lonely experiences tonight I tell you, I’ve certainly got one of them. Look, Matt’s in a position where, how do I best describe it without showing any disrespect? He’s a fantastic training goalkeeper for us. He’s a number three goalkeeper. He’s not a number two goalkeeper. He’s not at that level yet, but you can’t put the night down to him in any way. That’s just where we are.
What did you say at half-time? Is there any consolation at all? The second half was an improvement.
We can’t fix every single problem on the football pitch. We try and simplify certain moments in the game, but you have to just tell them the truth. And as much as a manager or coaching staff or anyone tells them the truth at half-time, I’m pretty sure the players knew what was wrong in that first half.
Second best all over the pitch. All over the pitch. It hurts because we can be out-skilled, we can be out-manoeuvred, but we can’t be out worked at Bristol Rovers Football Club. And that was pretty apparent for all those players tonight.
Were there any positives tonight?
No. James Wilson coming on, looking like himself. No, because Gats’ hamstring makes it an awful lot worse and Promise’s body not being right again makes it an awful lot worse.
I think it’ll be really interesting what the debrief is from everyone around this football club on the back of that. Because a game going into a Trophy game where there’s very little preparation, it’s a match-up game in terms of formations. It’s down to our players against their players, second fringe against second fringe, let’s be honest in relation to that. And there was an awful lot to be learnt from in terms of where some of those players are at, physically, mentally and game-wise. And that’s going to be a really big one moving forward in terms of how we influence the group we want to work with.
And is it frustrated off the back of two positive results? There was a little step backwards tonight.
Yeah, but maybe the positive results have shown us the group to work forward with and move forward with. Like I say, you need a lot of things in football and personality is one and that first half was bereft of any personality, it really was.
Probably now is not the time to go into too much detail of where I’m at with some of them. But yeah, it’ll be interesting when we come back in a few days time.
It wasn’t a huge attendance but the Rovers fans that did turn up today, you did go up to them at full-time and they obviously weren’t happy.
Yeah. At me. Clapped the players, booed me. A lot of times I’ll take responsibility. I’m not sure tonight is one where I can take full responsibility for that performance. They’ll say I’ve signed the players. They’ll say I’ve played a big part in an awful lot at this football club. Yeah, it was a really interesting night.
No regrets about making so many changes tonight?
Well, I think you’ve probably seen with Gats and Promise where some of the lads are physically. It was only really Connor Taylor and Willo who backed it up in terms of big game time last week. It was three league games last week and two were on the pitch for the majority, i.e. Gats and Promise who have broken down tonight.
So, yeah, I could have made no changes and the ones we think we can work with moving forward would have been unavailable. So I’d have always made those changes. I’ve got to be honest with you. That team was strong enough to be a lot better. It should have been strong enough to be a lot better than it was tonight.
What can you tell me about Gatlin’s injury then? Is it serious?
Hamstring. It’s not a popped hamstring, but there’s a certain tightness and a problem in there. So he’ll have a scan. And Promise, yeah we’re learning about Promise’s body day in, day out. Three days post his exertions at Burton and he couldn’t quite replicate it for long enough.
His plan was only to be on for a short amount of time, but even as soon as he went on, he didn’t seem quite right. So, yeah, we’ll learn a little bit more in terms of that. Yeah, it’ll be really interesting to see what people really thought in terms of where the club and that squad are at today.
Is Promise now adoubt then for Huddersfield?
We’ll have to assess him. Gats is the bigger worry because I think there’s a sort of problem there. We’ll have to assess them and then, yeah, that puts pressure on the front line, of course it does.
So there is a break. What do you and the players do over the next few days?
Well, I’ll work. I keep working. Some of those players will go here, there and everywhere. And it depends what state some of them come back in. But like I say, I can’t keep pandering to an awful lot of people’s needs and I’m the one getting the stick for it.
I think we probably need to make the group a little bit smaller, a little bit more refined on a daily basis. And if that means upsetting a few people, then so be it. It’s pretty clear from what I’ve seen in, not just tonight, maybe the Tottenham game, maybe the Cheltenham reserve game. That’s some of them aren’t up to it.
Bristol Rovers Live on Whatsapp
Join Bristol Rovers Live’s Whatsapp community for all the biggest Bristol Rovers stories sent straight to your phone
Bristol Rovers Live is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.
Through the app, we’ll send the Bristol Rovers news, live match coverage, team news, transfers, fixtures, analysis and more straight to your phone.
To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select ‘Join Community’.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live team.
We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.
To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
So in conclusion, the positives, the side that finished at Burton, in terms of a team of 11, you’re happy, but maybe the squad and we’re talking about strength in depth, that’s where we’re lacking a bit?
Yeah. You watched the game. It would be so interesting if I asked you questions about that game because you’ve seen the same as me and everyone will ask the manager’s opinion on it.
The game always tells you the truth. The game never lies and the players who were out there tonight need to realise that pretty quickly. There’s no excuses there.
A couple of academy players on the bench. How much have you seen of them?
Nothing at all. I’ve got to be honest. I didn’t know them before today.
Obviously, Max Edwards was part of pre-season for the first two weeks. The other two [Taelan Savage and Kian Hill], I’ve not come across. I think we’ve done really well in terms of sending a lot of young players out on loan, which is why they weren’t available for tonight. They’re the usual ones who are out on loan who would have filled the bench tonight.
So I don’t know anything about them, in all honesty. They were due not to be part of the pitch, if that makes sense, because we didn’t expect to make many changes at all. But the academy is in a good place, especially because some are getting senior experience.
Then if the scoreline’s flipped maybe you put them on and it’s a memorable night but do you protect them after that kind of a first half?
They weren’t really on my mind. I’ve got to be honest with you. You look at it and you think, should I take some of the players who are on the pitch out of the firing line?
I don’t think they deserve to come off the pitch. I honestly don’t. I didn’t. I don’t know if you thought any different to that, but why should I take players who’ve been part of that first half performance off the pitch just because it’s difficult? This group needs to find a way of being more resilient and sometimes you’re gonna have to go through a bit of a difficult spell or a difficult first half or a difficult game or an eye-opening game.