Bristol Rovers chairman Hussain AlSaeed has promised new head coach Darrell Clarke ‘resources, structure and time’ in order to return the club to League One.
The Pirates suffered a dreadful campaign, despite a summer that offered cause for optimism. They seemingly recruited smartly, with Matt Taylor hoping to build on a promising first season at the Memorial Ground.
They never really got going though, and Taylor was dismissed in December following a run of three successive defeats. Inigo Calderon was brought in as his successor but results failed to improve, leading to relegation to League Two earlier this month.
This has led to another managerial change. Darrell Clarke has returned to the club to try and add to his two promotions which he achieved in his first stint in charge between 2014 and 2018.
AlSaeed Keen To Back Clarke
With the disappointment of relegation still fresh, chairman AlSaeed has issued a statement to Rovers supporters. Here, he explained his decision to part company with Calderon whilst promising Clarke time to rebuild the squad:
“Following a comprehensive review, we parted ways with Iñigo Calderón. While his passion was evident, the outcomes didn’t align with the direction we need to take. We thank him for his efforts and wish him well in the next stage of his career.
“In moving forward, we’ve appointed Darrell Clarke as Head Coach. Darrell’s history with this Club, combined with his energy and experience, made him the clear choice to lead the team into the next phase. We’re backing him fully and completely; with resources, with structure, and with time.
“Our focus now is on assembling a squad that reflects our ambition and the values of this Club. We aim to build a team that competes, represents, and earns your continued support.”
Writer’s View
Following such a dire season, bringing back Clarke could prove to be a masterstroke. He is a firm fan favourite at the Memorial Ground, having taken the club from the National League to League One with two successive promotions between 2015 and 2016. AlSaeed’s words will give some hope but it is now down to him to back that up. There is likely to be an array of changes to the playing staff and it will take time to gel. It will be interesting to see if he backs up his comments should his team struggle to adapt to life in the fourth tier.
