Gillingham manager John Coleman has conceded that his side are heading towards a relegation fight in League Two if their current form does not improve.
The Gills fell to a 3-0 defeat against fellow strugglers Barrow at the weekend, extending their winless run to nearly two months. Once top of the table in September, they now find themselves in 19th place, nine points above the relegation zone.
‘The gloves are off’ – Coleman issues stern warning
Coleman, who was appointed last month following the sacking of Mark Bonner, did not hold back in his criticism of the players after the Barrow defeat, promising drastic changes in training.
“Well, if we don’t pick up, we will be in a relegation scrap. But I’ve been around long enough to know that the only way you get out of that is by hard work,” said Coleman.
“We’ll have to see a different Gillingham team on Tuesday (against Walsall). The gloves are off.”
The Gillingham boss, visibly frustrated, confirmed that he will now be implementing tougher training demands, with players required to report for duty every day until the end of the season.
‘No more days off’ as Coleman raises standards
Coleman believes his squad has had it too easy in recent months and insists a drastic shift in mentality is needed.
“There’ll be a lot of sanctions, a lot of soul-searching, and a lot of effort put into it. The staff put as much effort in as we can,” he added.
“From Monday morning, there’ll be no days off between now and the end of the season. The rocket they got off me was quite vociferous.”
Gillingham fans deserve better
After another underwhelming season where promotion hopes have faded, Coleman acknowledged that the club’s supporters deserve more.
“You’ve got to start earning the right to be a professional footballer. You’ve got to start earning the right to represent people because we’re representing a town here,” he said.
“We’re representing Gillingham as a place, then we’re representing a set of football fans who deserve miles more than this.”
Writer’s view
Gillingham’s slide down the table has been alarming, and Coleman’s frustration is understandable. His decision to introduce daily training sessions signals his intent to improve discipline and work ethic, but whether the squad responds positively remains to be seen. With the gap to the bottom two shrinking, their upcoming fixtures will be crucial in determining whether they can arrest this slump and steer clear of the drop zone.
