The Thoughts of the Management

Here's what the Rovers Boss (Clive Jones) and Assistant Boss (Gary McCauley) are thinking on various matters.....

ROVERS BOSS Clive Jones departed on his holidays leaving the camp I the very capable of hands of his new assistant Gary McCauley. Jones said: “I have told Macca how I think he ought to send them out against Longwell, a side we had three terrific games against last season. Circumstances may well dictate a change or two to the planned line-ups, that obviously depends on fitness and indeed any issues that may arise between now and the kick-off on Saturday. Macca know what we need, and je knows how we can go about getting that. At this stage of the season it is all about ensuring that we bank points and stay with the pack at the sharp end of the table.”

Jones did say that he was hoping both Danny Jee and Danny Baily may get some taste of the action against Longwell Green: “In terms of the bigger picture we need to get the pair back playing. Jee’er is a big miss because let’s face it, we are currently operating without two of last season’s engine room with David (Steele) moving on and Danny (Jee) not yet played a game. The lads who have been filling their considerable places have done a great job but I think the team needs the presence of a fully fit Jee’er. Hopefully he’ll make the cut on Saturday and I certainly hope the same for Bailo (Danny Baily), who, when fit, is such an enormous asset to us.”

Jones was pleased that the next FA Cup opponents are Radstock rather than Buckland Athletic. Something he alluded to saying: “I really did not want to be taking on Buckland for that would have set us up as a possible Cup shock in as much as they (Buckland) would have seen us as something of a scalp. Now we have Radstock is very much a Toolstation, Western League engagement., and there’s no hidden factors in this one. We know lots about them (Radstock) and they will know lots about us.”

THE DAY AFTER THE FA CUP TIE THE DAY BEFORE, WE CAUGHT UP WITH BOSS CLIVE JONES -

So what did you make of the FA Cup win? “I thought the performance, when set against the midweek ‘shambles’ when we shipped the five against Street, was five star. Really out of the top drawer and it underlined for me just what this team is capable of.  From where I watched the action I saw two well matched sides with the difference between the sides being the respective defences and attacks. For us you had a back four playing completely as one and I commend each one of that particular quartet. We had got some information on Merthyr Town and I decided to tweak the formation to such a degree that we played with just the lone striker, looking to get bodies quickly into support him. However, that sort of a system only works if the guy tasked with the lone job up top does the business and I think you saw a monumental performance from Carl Cliff-Brown in that role. Carl was immense, that was as good as I have seen from the big chap in the time he has been with us.” 

 That was some contest between Carl and their very experienced, equally large in terms of stature, centre half. “Yes, I enjoyed that particular contest and I thought they both emerged from it with great credit.  I thought it was a great battle between the two, one I knew we had won when we scored the second and they threw a caution to the wind sending their big lad up top – that allowed Carl to pick holes in their back line and we might well have added to our two goals in the closing stages.”

 It was some turn around from the midweek defeat? “It was certainly one of the most remarkable turn-a-rounds in all my years as a manager of a football team to see the same four humbled to the tune of a 5-0 score line and then produce a collective shut-out of the highest order was – quite simply sensational. But you have to expect that from this very cultured and sincerely honest, bunch of players. They knew post-match against Street that they’d have the old footballers collective nightmare of a game, they did not need me reminding them of that. What I did say before the Merthyr game was they needed to put that particular performance behind them and put on a show for the fans to prove that the midweek thing was a blip – that’s what good sides to and I think the players showed they are a decent outfit. Mind you, so are Merthyr, they’ll be up with us next season, or that I have no doubt.”

Were there any individual performances that brought you most pleasure? “Obviously when you get a show like that it is hard to single out individuals but I thought Ian Patchett did a great job in the middle third and what can you say about the entire back four – they were at their best winning tackles and making sure that even when the big lad got thrust forward and was clearly winning all, the high stuff, the lads at the back just went back a pace and made sure that every single second ball was there’s to keep – they played individually, and collectively, magnificently. Carl’s contribution we have already mentioned and Robbie Norrish was awesome in the engine room, I saw him throw himself, typically, in front of a coupe of efforts that, had they not hit him, would have got through to Brian in goal- it was a performance reminiscent of the FA Vase efforts of last season. All fourteen lads who got onto the pitch deserve the utmost credit for their efforts.”

The opponents in the next round will be either Radstock or Buckland – do you have a preference? “No not really, I am just chuffed that we have got past a very good opponent and are in the next round, who we play is not really that important, what is though, is that we stay clear of injuries in the game we have before then (Longwell Green on Saturday) and then we can have a real crack at making further progress in the FA Cup – who ever we get, Radstock or Buckland, it will be tough and so to be at home is a big advantage.”