Under-pressure Bristol Rovers boss Ben Garner has issued a rallying cry to his players ahead of tonight’s important League One match against Sunderland.
Rovers are in a poor run of form that’s seen them slip to fifteenth in the League One table. While they are still thirteen points clear of Tranmere in the final relegation place, fans have started looking nervously over their shoulder, especially with the Birkenhead outfit winning their last two games.
It won’t be easy for Rovers, Sunderland visit the Memorial Stadium looking to continue their excellent form since the turn of the year that’s put them in the reckoning for automatic promotion, and Garner called for the talking to stop and his players to put in a decent performance on the pitch.
Speaking to Bristol Live ahead of the match, he said: ‘They’re a good side. They’ve got a good squad with strength in depth. I thought we did really well for an hour up there defensively in terms of our organisation, structure and work ethic.’
‘I think we frustrated them, and I think teams have done that since as well. We need to build on what we did in the away game.’
‘We know we can frustrate what they do; we know we’ve got opportunities to hurt them in certain areas.’
‘But it’s words, we need actions now.’
Rover lost 3-0 at the Stadium of Light in February, and fans will be hoping for much more tonight from a side that sat fourth on Boxing Day. However, Rovers have lost four of their last six continuing their poor form since Ganer took over from Graham Coughlan at Christmas, sparking recent allegations the manager had lost the dressing room.
Many Gas fans felt Garner looked a broken man when they responded to a clip of the presser on the club’s official website, and while there were the usual calls for supporters to get behind the team, it is clear all is not well in Bristol.
Here is a selection of responses to the manager’s comments on Twitter.
Looks and sounds a beaten man, saying the same things but it's gone backwards
— Chipstead Gas 🆙⛽️ (@Chipstead_Gas) March 9, 2020
Regardless of your feelings towards the manager, we all gotta get behind the side tomorrow night! 👊🏻
— Mad Gas (@MadGas1) March 9, 2020
Quite honesty I have no interest anymore. #garnerout
— CW Gas (@cw_gas76) March 9, 2020
Worse win ratio of any rovers manager. Will miss first home games in 4 years as cannot face watching it! Us ST holders will have to do what we did with Garry Thompson and not renew ST’s to make change happen. #garnerout
— Kev B (@popsgas) March 9, 2020
Resign now save us embarrassment for tomorrow night hate to see this but I hope we lose because if we win just papering over the cracks and he will be in charge #BG OUTNOW
— nickscrivin (@nickscrivin1) March 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/Ady_Coles/status/1237056055743524865?s=20
Garner is a quality coach, he is new to management , he needs time , imo Garner is not the main problem, it’s much more deep rooted than that . 💙⚽️
— Ronald Roost (@RonaldRoost) March 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/StarBoy5567/status/1237038996938805250?s=20
And it’s up to us to get behind the team and help them out they can’t do it on their own they need our support
— Alfie Rendall (@RendallAlfie) March 9, 2020
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