The Rovers boss has called for his players to personal pride as the League One season end nears.
With just eight games remaining in the season, Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor vows he “will give everything” to the Gas.
Rovers’ two-week hiatus from League One play is a result of the March internationals. “I will give everything I have possibly got until the last possible minute to each and every player until the point comes where they are no longer needed,” Taylor stated.
“The mindset of this group of gamers is my worst enemy. Until we make some changes, the entire culture of this football team—not just me and them—will continue to be at odds over what they value and what they consider to be success.
The 42-year-old has been somewhat critical of his side in recent weeks due to their inability to score in their last three games and their eight conceded goals. “I would want to have a group of twelve fans write down the three players they think are the best this season. It would be quite intriguing because, in my opinion, you wouldn’t feel as pressured to keep entering those names into those numbers if they told me their top three, as well as the next three and the three after that. The ambitions of Chris Martin and Antony Evans, as well as their assistance, really stand out, in my opinion. After that, you’re probably wondering what comes next, and that is a reflection on a lot of our performances this season,” he added.
Despite the fact that the season is still one month away, Gasheads are especially curious to find out which players will be back for the following campaign because there are an absurd amount of players that have expiring contracts this summer. “Everyone is still in the same situation as they were the day I walked into the job and when the season started,” Taylor stated. “Football doesn’t look at what’s next for them; it just looks at the next game, and if performance levels aren’t where they need to be, you’ll get punished. Whether their contract expires at the end of the season, they have more time remaining on it, or they are here on loan. Thus there’s a bigger picture which I can’t avoid and the players can’t avoid.”
Five of Rovers’ remaining eight games are against clubs lower in the League One standings, meaning they have some games they can win over the next few weeks. “The next game is Port Vale and then after that it will be Shrewsbury,” Taylor stated. “I want players to understand that because we know in a situation we are where we are, so what’s to come in terms of player turnover, recruitment, and players getting released or moving on, will all come in the future. However, every moment is an opportunity to just change what’s next for yourself, as a player, as a person, as a manager, or as a supporter in terms of the middle of the table, people say there is not much to play for, I actually think it’s the opposite.”
Taylor has been able to do more work with the players on the training ground during the international break, but with limited numbers to international duty and injuries. “There is probably things I’d like to do more of, but our hands are tied a little bit in terms of the position we are in at the moment and everyone’s position in terms of people’s futures so its just understanding that if players are going to represent the club in a game or in training, they do it with the right intent regardless of the situation, 1-0 down, 3-0 down, a substitute coming on, a substitute coming off, for me it’s all about intent, I live my life by intent, I just felt the Lincoln game didn’t show enough from us from certain individuals and I have spoken to them about it, but it’s a two-way investment and relationship.”
The Gas were hammered 5-0 in their last match at the hands of the high-flying Lincoln City. “Personal pride is a big aspect of it,” said Taylor. “We could just spend the next 8 games just sitting there watching, judging, having opinions like everyone does in football, or we could put ourselves forward and be on the pitch instead. It’s a performance game, there’s not many that could say they performed where they needed to be in that game and it turned into what was a difficult week because there was so many positives from Fleetwood and we got beaten by the better team against Derby, but the way Saturday went left a poor feeling at the end.”
Despite Rovers’ mid-table position, Friday’s hosts Port Vale are fighting for their lives within the League One relegation zone, and Taylor believes his team shouldn’t need any more motivation to put on a strong performance in Staffford. Points, self-esteem, and output. To begin with, performance would be my top priority. I have stated often this season that the opening half, the first five minutes, and the first twenty minutes of the game are crucial. I was at their game when we went to Port Vale.
Burton last weekend, so I have a sense of what they are battling for, what direction they are going in, and how they relate to it. This weekend will present some difficulties and challenging exams since they are physical. Since this is the market we operate in and who our competitors are, I’m searching for a little bit more in terms of what we can provide and an amazing chance to make some impressions.
Everyone in the league, whether at the top, bottom, or in the middle like us, has a significant weekend ahead of them. Since we are fortunate to be a part of it, let’s tackle it and see where it leads hopefully I will be talking about a certain type of performance after the game.
