Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann has insisted it is “too late in the season for wake-up calls” after his side suffered a damaging 2-1 defeat to Grimsby Town.
The loss has seen Rovers slip to sixth in the League Two table, two points behind third-placed Bradford City.
McCann’s Verdict on a Poor Performance
McCann, who has enjoyed four promotions in his career as both a player and manager, admitted that his side failed to do the basics required to secure a victory. He emphasised that playing attractive football alone is not enough to succeed at this level.
“I’ve been promoted four times in my career either as a player or manager, and I know to get promoted you have to do everything well. You can’t just be a decent footballing team. You have to be able to do the ugly side of the game and today we didn’t do that,” McCann said.
He continued by acknowledging that this has been a recurring theme in their losses this season.
“Hence, the games we’ve lost this season are the ones where we’ve not done that. We were miles, miles away from it. We’ve let everybody down,” he added.
Bouncing Back from Consecutive Defeats
Rovers have now suffered back-to-back league defeats for the first time this season, and the timing could not be worse as they enter the crucial final stretch. They now prepare for an important trip to Morecambe, a team struggling near the bottom of the table.
McCann, despite his frustration, was clear that he remains focused on turning things around. “I’m the worst loser in the world, but I’ll come in Monday ready to go with a spring in my step ready for another big game Tuesday,” he stated.
The Doncaster manager also stressed that it is no longer a case of needing a wake-up call but rather an urgent necessity to fix the issues. “We’re too late in the season now for wake-up calls. I said that after the Chesterfield game. Today was just poor, from start to finish,” he said.
Writer’s View
Doncaster Rovers’ latest setback raises concerns about their automatic promotion chances. While they remain within touching distance of the top three, performances like the one against Grimsby will not be enough to secure promotion. With the season nearing its conclusion, McCann will need to ensure his side quickly regains their form before the opportunity slips away.
