Bristol Rovers will take on Premier League opposition this weekend as they make the long trip east to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town.
Less than two years ago, these two clubs were coming up against each other in League One but back-to-back promotions have seen the Tractor Boys enjoy a rapid rise to the top-flight.
Admittedly, it’s not the most glamorous of ties for Rovers considering that they’ve made this journey to Suffolk in four of the last five seasons having also played Ipswich away in the Carabao Cup last term.
However, it will be another opportunity for Inigo Calderon to assess his players while in the heat of battle up against higher calibre opposition on the back of being able to train somewhat properly for the first time since arriving at the Gas.
Here’s everything the Rovers head coach said to local media on Thursday ahead of Sunday’s third round tie…
Inigo, two days with the players on the training ground, how’s this week been in terms of productivity?
Really good. I was looking forward to this week for a while since I came here because I was saying that we couldn’t train. That was the reality. So finally we could do two really good sessions.
Today was a bit different because we had to adapt again because of the weather conditions. We had to move to another pitch; that is not ideal. But listen, after being so desperate to train I don’t want to put [out] excuses because I was happy with that.
What kind of reaction have you had from the players?
I cannot say anything badly about them. I think they are in a good momentum now. Willing to listen to get things on board and, as I say, I think as well they wanted to train properly and see how the coach is because meetings are not enough. They want to see how the coach is in the session. I think they could feel how I am.
I think it’s been really good. Two good days and I’m looking forward to the game.
Of course you’re looking forward to your next game but is it fair to say maybe Ipswich has been a little bit at the back of your mind because you’ve just been wanting to get up to the training ground and start working with your players first?
Yeah, for me, it was most important what happened in the training sessions because I said that that’s the way I can see where the team is or what I can do mainly with the team. The game is just trying to get the best of each game but it’s through that…listen, it’s going to be a great test. Obviously, probably too difficult at the moment but I don’t have any fear, any worry at all.
We go there to try to do the best and the best is maybe winning the game.
A lot of Rovers fans are excited by the signing of Romaine Sawyers. Just what’s he brought to the dressing room and is he in contention to feature on Sunday?
Yeah. Everybody who was trained today I think will be a contender to be in the squad for Sunday and he brings us, when they say experience it’s like he’s an old player. I don’t think he’s that old.
Obviously, he’s been playing at a high level so you could see the experience in the game, not because of the age, because he’s been playing at the top level and I think he can give us a lot of things in that midfielder role because we always say that we like to control the games a bit more and I think he could be a key part for that.
Do you anticipate any further signings before Sunday’s game?
I don’t think so. Listen, I know there’s a lot of things behind the scenes to try to make the team better and to improve them but at the same time I don’t think we have to rush anything. I’m happy with what we have. If we can bring someone that’s better to the table [it’s] welcome. If not, I don’t think we have to bring [in] players just for the fact of bringing them.
Is anyone fit and available who maybe hasn’t been for Sunday’s game?
Yeah, Hunty. Hunty is available for the game so that’s good news. You know, I hate when I see people running and running and running and not able to play football. So everybody is more than welcome because we need bodies.
Tell me a bit about Jack. He helped out a bit with the coaching over the Christmas period but he’s an experienced player and if you can get him fit you’ve got a very good right-back there.
Yeah and another thing, everybody in this squad, I think, can bring things and I like the mix we have with the young and experienced players. I think it’s a great combination. For me, that’s key and you can see that.
Probably without being 100 per cent fit, you still can bring things to the team and it’s coming because that experience and that’s always positive and always the place they come in from an injury, they have an extra bit because obviously they’ve been out so they want to play and they want to train. So it’s always a positive thing.
When you joined we asked you about your style of play. Does it change at all given the opposition on Sunday?
No. Not in terms of to control the games and try to be proactive. Sometimes you can control the game more with the ball. Obviously, against a Premier League club it’s going to be more difficult to have control of the game but the approach to the game is going to be the same. Try to be us.
We’re not going to go there to wait. After they start, they are better than you and they have to defend deeper, that’s another thing. But the mentality of the team is going to go there, it’s a normal game, try to win it and try to do things, try to be proactive.
As I say, that depends on the team. The position can affect that but the approach is going to be the same.
Is it a hard game to prepare for in that Ipswich could make a lot of changes on Sunday? We don’t know what team they’ll pick.
Yeah, you expect some changes from them because obviously the cup for them could be a chance to play players that haven’t been playing. But we don’t know yet.
To be fair, we have been in the meetings with the boys. I didn’t spend too much time on them (Ipswich). I prefer to think on us. We have to do a lot of things right so I don’t want to waste time thinking of them because that’s not under my control. We have a lot of things to improve and that’s the ones I want to see.
Was the FA Cup a competition they showed on television in Spain when you were growing up?
Yeah. For me, that’s the cup. The other ones, I’m not really a fan of them. The FA Cup, you can feel the magic of the cup. I always say when I was a player it’s a special one and it’s magic. They talk about the magic because sometimes the small teams, the lower division teams, they can beat the big ones. So that’s why it’s special and sometimes that happens, hopefully on Sunday.
I was going to ask if the FA Cup’s been kind to you as a player. I think you nearly beat Arsenal twice with Brighton and there was a trip to Anfield which didn’t go so well, 6-1. But what does the FA Cup bring back in terms of memories to you?
That’s the other thing. I think it is the chance for the teams in the lower divisions to play in good grounds. When I went to Anfield, or even this game against Ipswich, I think it’s a good opportunity for the fans, for the football club to feel like you are in there. I like that.
Even playing away I think it’s better because you know it’s something special for the fans. I suppose it’s going to be a special day so we try to make it even more special.
Have you noticed a change in mood this week having got a big win at Cambridge last week?
Yeah. To be fair, I saw that after Leyton Orient. I was quite positive with the reaction, even without winning the game. I saw that the team were in a better mood and the spirit was better here in the building.
For me that was key because I said to them, ‘I don’t like sad people’. Football is not about being sad. You can be upset but you cannot be sad and the mood changed a bit before Cambridge and Cambridge was a consequence of that I think.
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Ipswich are a club that Bristol Rovers have played quite a lot in recent years but we now find them as a Premier League team. They must be a club you particularly admire quite a lot?
You’re right. I think it’s a good example of when you do things right you can achieve things that maybe it was not at the beginning of your ideas. That’s why I love football, that’s why I love coaching because if you do things right you can beat bigger clubs or clubs with more money.
You spoke about Ipswich potentially changing players, you’re still getting to know this squad so do you foresee many changes for yourselves?
To be fair we haven’t decided that yet. I said to the boys only the truth. I have so much belief in all of them that I’m not [going to] waste too much time thinking of who’s going to play because I prefer to give everyone a chance during the week and after pick the 11. That’s no problem for me.
A lot of fans are asking about different young players who are currently out on loan at the moment and whether they might be brought back. Kofi Shaw and Dan Ellison for example. Are there any plans for those players at the moment?
That’s not for me, that question. I like the ones we have, even Kofi. I’m really surprised with him. I was surprised with his age. I think it’s a player that I like a lot. It’s obviously up to the club to decide what is better for him, if they think it’s better for him to stay here or to go somewhere on loan. But they are places that I really like.
This weekend playing Premier League opposition, you’ve spoken about your memories as a player in the FA Cup, where would it rank in terms of your life in football if you were to go there and maybe get a win?
That’s the magic of the cup. The magic is when something special happens. It’s a normal game and obviously it’s not easy at all and it’s going to be really, really difficult, but you can make something that will always be in your memories.
Beating a Premier League football club is always something special. Being away. So, as I say, but for me, it’s more important what we have to do and we have to do a lot of things good and then wait for them not to have a good day. But first we have to think about us.
And how does the mood change because for a lot of these players here, it might be the first time they play Premier League opposition? Is there a different feeling around the training ground?
To be fair, no. I felt really good. I mean, I haven’t seen a change from last week, I would say. It’s true that I couldn’t see anything because we didn’t train enough. So I hope they don’t change so much the mentality because that’s the problem when you go there and you want to do something different. It’s a problem when you want to score the winner because it’s the cup and you want to be in the papers. That’s a problem.
I don’t think we have to change that much. Anything at all. That’s why the approach is going to be the same. I mean, I haven’t changed anything during this week because it is Ipswich. I don’t want to change that. That’s not my mentality. We have to do things right, a lot of things right, and don’t change anything because then it’s going to be a problem.