Bristol Rovers playing for pride ahead of club rebuild

Local TV Sport

Daniel Wales and Charles Hague-Jones discuss what is next for Bristol Rovers.

Transcript

00:00Now, Bristol Rovers have just had one point in their last however many games in League One.

00:07It's been a terrible end to this season.

00:10Obviously, it was slightly in the balance until the last month or so,

00:13whether they were to avoid the drop.

00:15They had to pull together and it seems like possibly things fell apart.

00:20Yes, the relegation confirms to League Two is a massive drop down.

00:25It's a massive step backwards in the wrong direction.

00:28But, you know, it's so hard as a club.

00:31You know, your fans, your players, your staff, everyday staff,

00:35you know, the caterers from the kit people to the people on the pitch doing the business

00:40who have just fallen short this season.

00:43It's a massive change.

00:44It's a massive sort of, you know,

00:46shifting emotions for everyone involved in the club.

00:48And they need to sort of realise that and try and remain positive.

00:52Obviously, the final game of the season, just playing for pride.

00:55But also, you know, it's going to be a big summer.

00:57It's going to be a summer where you have to adjust for another division.

01:01You do not want to plateau.

01:03You do not want to stagnate in the division or even be flirting around the bottom of it.

01:07Because if you can't change your confidence, if you can't change your belief,

01:11then that certainly can happen.

01:13It's happened to a number of sides who've come down from the likes of the Premier League as well.

01:17So, Bristol Rovers need to now really, really go into the summer, you know,

01:22final game of the season, but go into the summer and galvanise themselves

01:26and make sure they are trying to get back to League One next season.

01:30Dan, what are your thoughts on where Bristol Rovers are at the moment?

01:33Obviously, a devastating relegation had by the club.

01:37But, you know, how important is it that they actually bounce back

01:39and just have a bit of pride about them in these final few moments

01:44and try and go into the summer with a bit more confidence

01:47in terms of laying out a plan and trying to get back to League One?

01:52Naturally, Charles, yes, the aim will be returning to League One as quickly as possible.

01:55But I think they have to set out a strategy as soon as possible as well

01:59because, of course, the fans of the club will want to know exactly the direction the club is going in.

02:04You know, with the recent takeover, but then a relegation and the futures of head coach Nego Calderon

02:11and several other playing squad now in doubt because relegation is always cast doubt over these types of things.

02:16There has to be some sort of clear direction set out from perhaps Calderon if he is going to stay

02:22and then from the leadership groups or the board as well in terms of exactly what this club wants to be

02:29and where it wants to go because it can't afford just to be loitering back down in League Two

02:33if this board and this club has higher expectations.

02:37They've got to be set out as quickly as possible

02:39and that will hopefully mean that they can get out of League Two quickly.

02:43They can be efficient in doing that even if it takes just a year

02:47or even if it takes two to three years.

02:49Perhaps rebuilding might be needed depending on exactly how bad the situation is within the club.

02:54But for now at least they just need to set out the plan and the strategy

02:57and however long it takes is how long it takes.

03:00But the club just needs a direction because this last six months have been not good enough from everyone involved.

03:08Obviously the takeover breathed some life into the club and people thought,

03:11well yes, it can now develop, it can go on, it can be a strong and secure League One club

03:17but that hasn't happened now.

03:18That of course can't be completely put onto those in terms of running the club

03:24because of course they don't play the games themselves

03:26but certainly their strategy has had an impact as well.

03:29So it has to be a huge fix from terms of those running the club and the strategy

03:33and who they bring in, who they sign

03:35but also as well the standards from the playing staff and the coaches as well

03:40and Nego Calderon himself.

03:42So lots to be worked on, lots to be done over the summer.

03:45Their final game of the season of course will now just be in terms of playing for pride

03:49and hopefully that they can maybe instil some confidence and belief into their supporters

03:54that this will be a productive summer

03:56and it won't just be a one where the club just goes stale

03:59and goes into the League Two season next year

04:01and still doesn't exactly know where it wants to be or where it wants to go

04:04because that would be the absolute worst thing

04:06and then it could end up finding itself stuck in League Two for the foreseeable future

04:11which for a club that certainly when the new owners came in

04:15it would appear that it had lofty ambitions for those to so quickly go out of the window

04:21it would cast a lot of doubt to the supporters at least

04:25as to what this football club is going to be and what it's going to become

04:28especially when you see their rivals and neighbours

04:31Bristol City doing so well in the Championship

04:33fans of the gas just need some clarity going forward

04:36about what their club is going to be in the coming years

04:40and what it can achieve hopefully

04:42and get it back to League One as soon as possible.

Category

Transcript

Recommended