Bristol Rovers Transfer Latest: Gas settling in following early recruitment spree

Local TV Sport

Daniel Wales looks at the latest Bristol Rovers transfer news.

Transcript

00:00Now, it's a big season for Daryl Clark and Bristol Rovers

00:04as he's gone back there with one sort of simple goal in mind

00:08to get them straight back up to League One

00:10the first time of asking.

00:12He's had promotion experience before.

00:14He's gone away and done some fantastic things as a manager

00:16in terms of the EFL, those lower League Two, League One periods.

00:21His new experience promotion, I feel,

00:23he's probably the perfect sort of appointment

00:25for Bristol Rovers and where they want to be.

00:28They obviously fell real short with Inigo Calderon

00:31and that sort of really petered out,

00:33not the best way it possibly could have.

00:37They've got a strong squad really for League Two,

00:40but maybe some younger talent needs to slightly be injected

00:43and given that freedom to come and play minutes this season,

00:47it's going to be a tough League Two division.

00:49But Bristol Rovers are looking positive

00:52that they can go and really try and give it a good go.

00:56So Dan, our Bristol correspondent, Dan,

00:58just talk to us a bit about the transfer latest,

01:01what's sort of going on behind the scenes

01:03as Daryl Clark shapes up for this campaign

01:05because it's something that there is outside pressure,

01:08that there is going to be pressure mounting,

01:11that he needs to get a promotion job confirmed

01:14and another one added to his CV as well.

01:16So where are the guys at the moment?

01:19How are they feeling going into this season?

01:20And what's the transfer situation looking like for Bristol Rovers?

01:25Because as we said before, it's a big season

01:28and one that it's going to have to be hitting the ground running

01:32and making sure they aren't there or thereabouts

01:34come the end of the season.

01:37Well, Charles, after what was a rather chaotic start

01:39to the transfer window thing,

01:40settling down a little bit at Bristol Rovers,

01:42but they have just added a new goalkeeper to their ranks

01:45in Luke Southwood,

01:46who has said he's prepared to fight for the number one spot

01:49at the club and he's also very much looking forward

01:52to playing in front of the crowd at Memorial Stadium,

01:54having been on the other side of that in the past.

01:57And I think it's an interesting situation at the moment

01:59at Bristol Rovers because they've brought in a lot of players.

02:02So clearly, Daryl Clark and direct Ricky Martin

02:05are having an impact on the club in terms of the recruitment

02:07and enticing players to come to the club.

02:09And I think that says a lot about actually

02:11what they're selling to these players

02:13because clearly, despite the fact that they have been relegated,

02:16Bristol Rovers are still an attractive club to join.

02:19For all these players.

02:20Obviously, League 2 is a step down from League 1

02:23in terms of overall quality

02:25and the attractiveness of clubs to join for these players.

02:29But ultimately, Bristol Rovers are still bringing in lots of names

02:32and I think that says a lot about the club as a whole.

02:35And even though it's gone down,

02:37that's Daryl Clark and Ricky Martin are still appearing

02:39to make it seem a club that players want to join.

02:42And what I think they're being clear about as well

02:44is they're bringing in players who not only will be good

02:46for League 2, but they'll also be good

02:48if they do take their step up back to League 1

02:51that they'll still have the quality within their ranks

02:53to then compete again at League 1 level.

02:56I'm not saying that the current squad that they've got now

02:58would do particularly well in League 1

03:00because, of course, they probably are buying more players

03:02who are more suited to League 2 at this moment in time.

03:04But as I say, players who could, if needs be,

03:08play in League 1 and do all right there,

03:10then obviously they'd have to add more League 1 standard players as well.

03:13But they've certainly got players who are versatile

03:15and able to make that step up.

03:16And I think that's really key.

03:18So clearly at the moment, Bristol Rovers being run very well.

03:21And I think for supporters at least,

03:23after what was obviously a dismal end to the campaign last season,

03:27they'll be happy.

03:29I mean, obviously I've reported countless times

03:31on how Bristol Rovers supporters took well

03:34to the fact that Daryl Clark came back into the club.

03:37And obviously, yes, it was a quick win in terms of PR

03:39for the fans, bringing someone like him back in.

03:42But ultimately, actually,

03:44he's a person who knows the club really well

03:46and he's a talented coach.

03:47And it wasn't just a PR win in the sense of,

03:49yes, he's been there before

03:50and he's been successful with them before

03:52because actually he's had some down moments with them before as well.

03:55But ultimately, he's a coach that actually is good

03:58and has lots of experience at this level of English football.

04:01And knows his way around this level

04:03and indeed Bristol Rovers as a club themselves.

04:05So actually, it could work out to be quite a shrewd move.

04:09And in terms of who they've brought in so far,

04:11I think it's looking like a shrewd move.

04:13Ricky Martin certainly said when Daryl Clark came in,

04:16he was very happy with things

04:17in terms of how he fits at the club.

04:19And also, let's be honest,

04:20Ricky Martin doing a good job in terms of the recruitment as well

04:23alongside Daryl Clark

04:24in terms of bringing in players to the club.

04:26So ultimately, a feel-good factor at Bristol Rovers

04:30in the transfer market at the moment

04:31and that is what supporters will want at the club.

04:35Obviously, things can only be decided on

04:37when the club starts playing at the start of next season.

04:40But things good at the moment.

04:41So.

04:43So.

04:45So.

Category

Transcript

Recommended