Here we go into the last ten games of the season needing, according to CEO Gavin Baldwin, at least 15 of the 30 points available. As usual I always expect us to win but I am now getting worried that we have lost the knack of winning.
Our visitors, Peterborough have also been drawn into the fight against the big drop, so the game should have plenty resting on it. There will also be great competition at manager level as Darren Ferguson comes up against his successor at London Road, Graham Westley.
Westley won the first round when Darren, after over 350 games at the helm of the Posh took us to London Road and we were drubbed 4-0. This as much as anything will spur him to at least break even in the two games.
" You always look to try different things, it might be tactically because of the opposition, or as now looking to simplify things for the players to understand my instructions".
"The preparation we do is excellent and the players know what they have to do. However, it is possibly about making it as simple as we can," " It's about getting the right balance, we have had an unfortunate habit of giving away early goals and playing catch up".
" We have also had problems at the other end scoring goals, we need to concentrate on eliminating the risk of giving up these early goals".
One big plus is that Ferguson will have James Coppinger returning from injury to add his experience to the midfield. Craig Alcock will also be available as well.
"The remit for me was to keep the club in the Division and my time in the summer will be to do what I want to do. The start we had, and the the form we hads led to expectations going to a whole new level".
Peterborough recently brought in former Rover Simon Gillett to bolster their midfield, let';s hope he does not go away with the spoils.
Match officials
Referee Sebastian Stockbridge
Assists Michael D'aguillar and Chris Isherwood.
4th Off Alix Pashley.
COME ON YOU ROVERS.
ROVERS v Peterborough United
posted on 22/3/16
Thanks Yankee - I think I am just expressing what others have been thinking and feeling as well - things need to change if we are to avoid declining to what we were before the JR years.
posted on 22/3/16
Your analysis is very credible Crazy.
I have attempted to justify the development of Club Doncaster in the past which I saw as based on the need to maximise the use of the principal asset, the stadium.
However, if one accepts that, it is not sufficient to merely allow the various branches of the enterprise to function, they need to do so successfully and they need to contribute meaningfully to the larger entity Club Doncaster, whilst at the same time seeing benefit from being part of the "Club".
As things stand, Rovers seem to be made less significant than when it was just them; they just occupy a space under the Club Doncaster umbrella.
In Business Modelling terms, the overall strategy, the major objectives of Club Doncaster, are no doubt well defined and to some extent may be regarded as met. This would be true if "Awards" were the only measure of success, but unfortunately Doncaster Rovers are not a prominent component in these, they exist in the background, but occupy at best only a subsidiary place in the much vaunted community project.
As you suggest Crazy, a leader at Board level is needed with the specific role of ensuring that DRFC remains the principal asset and that it succeeds. That should mean a degree of prioritisation with JR-type drive and determination championing their cause at the top layer of management. We probably need a Director of Football with real teeth and an urgent recognition that DRFC is adrift and that it may sink if it continues to be neglected.
posted on 22/3/16
And yet another breath of fresh air, Donaldo. I would like to see a Football Director who has connections to the team, someone like Laurie Sheffield or John Buckley.
I think the latter would be a good choice as he is younger than Laurie.
posted on 23/3/16
Ii have ugued for the last two years that club doncaster would be the downfall of the Rovers and that TB isn't the man that we need at the helm.
For all of his self proclamations, JR was fantastic for the club and we have missed him dearly.
posted on 23/3/16
FFS
"Ugued?"
Should be argued of course.
posted on 23/3/16
Fancy you failing to spell "argued" Hound.
posted on 23/3/16
I like to give my honest opinions NY.
Nothing wrong with that is there ?
posted on 23/3/16
No Hound, but did you miss the laugh moticons?
posted on 24/3/16
I am at it now, emoticons not as above.
posted on 24/3/16
Club Doncaster exists and will be difficult to disassemble even if the Board wanted to and one assumes they don’t, so we are likely to have to live with it.
I did not condemn it when it was conceived and then put together. Making the best use fo the stadium was a key consideration and surely no one can argue with that. Those who did come out against it appeared to do so out of hand. It is difficult to give them credit for their perception when they had no information about how it would be managed and developed. The concept of bringing all a city’s sport together has worked well in Europe with Barcelona being the prime example.
In Doncaster’s case, the focus from the start should have been and should continue to be preserving the status of the Rovers. So whether we like the “Club” or not, somehow we would want its prime objectives to emphasise the football team’s importance at the core of the operation. No one should be concentrating on anything else at the moment.