rovers splashing time

[burton_1989]

DONCASTER Rovers made a soggy start to pre-season training at their Cantley Park base as torrential rain hit the area.


The players, half-a-dozen or so who reported back earlier in the week, were given fitness tests as part of a relatively gentle introduction, but they were set for a much tougher day today according to manager Dean Saunders.

The players will had yesterday off before resuming their build-up tomorrow, Monday, ahead of Saturday’s first friendly at Cleethorpes Town.

Saunders is hoping to have several new players in by then. But with the 12 contracted players from last season alone taking Saunders well over his budget for next season, he admits he can’t move until his current wage bill is substantially reduced by the departure of several players.

“I’m sat there waiting for someone to ring,” he said. “Somebody has got to go and it will be first come, first served.I don’t want to lose some of them but I’ve got players lined up in case any of them left on Sunday.”

What is clear is that only the odd player, whose contract expired at the end of last season, is likely to still be at the club come the start of the 2012-13 campaign.

Whilst some fans would undoubtedly have liked to see more of last season’s squad retained, Saunders promises the Rovers’ faithful that he will put together a competitive side for the assault on League One.

“I’ll get it right; I’ve done it before,” he claims. “We’ve six weeks’ training before the start of the season and I don’t know what the team is going to be, which is unusual.

“But I know what sort of players I want.

“Players who want to get to the ball first, have a good attitude and want to train hard and want to do their best for the club. That is all I ask for.

“If players work hard and have a good attitude I’ll forgive them for all the (other) things they can’t do, We had too many footballers in the team last season for a relegation battle.

“We tried to do something (the so-called Willie Mckay experiment) and it looked like it didn’t work because we got relegated, but there was a time when things got better.

“When I first came here we hadn’t won for six months and I could see the damage it had done to some players.

“If you put Richie Wellens, Billy Sharpe and Matt Mills (who have all been sold) in our team now we’d have a great team, but since they’ve gone some of the players who looked really good are just average. Those three were making others look good.”

http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/doncaster/doncaster-splashing-time-for-rovers-1-4720665

[jonnydog]

Can't argue with anything he's saying at the minute. Go On Deano!!

[Colin C No.3]

Except there's no 'E' in Sharp. Still, that'll be down to the Star's so called Sportswriter. And it being printed in Sheffield an' all!

[Alan_Rovers]

“I’ll get it right; I’ve done it before,” he claims

I would love to know when this was.

[MachoMadness]

Not sure why he feels the need to bring up Wellens and Mills who were gone long before he arrived. I don't believe Sharp ever played with either of them so that's a silly statement.

Apart from that, he's right. The last generation of total footballers has gone, and we need to build a successful team under this regime, not under the standards of SO'D. If Saunders likes to play a certain way, it's good that he knows the sort of players to fit that style.

[dickos1]

“I’ll get it right; I’ve done it before,” he claims

I would love to know when this was.

Well he left his previous side top of the league so itsnotdifficult to figure it out is it

[Alan_Rovers]

Did Wrexham win promotion last season?

[donnyallday]

Does anyone besides me think that .. WE.. as a team may turn out to be  bunch of hit em hard cloggers and hopers?.... I just seem to get that impression with Deanos statements.

[dickos1]

Did Wrexham win promotion last season?

How can he influence what happens after he left? He left them top of the table

[Chris]

“I’ll get it right; I’ve done it before,” he claims

I would love to know when this was.

Well he left his previous side top of the league so itsnotdifficult to figure it out is it

They were actually 2nd when he left. After 10 games. What an achievement.

[RoversAlias]

I don't mind Deano and all but yeah, leaving them near the top of the table in mid-September is not an achievement. Coventry and Derby were routinely at the top of the Championship at that stage most of the last few seasons and look how well they ended up doing.

I'm not sure I'm encouraged by this 'lets get less footballers in' stuff. It's all well and good having players who 'want to get to the ball first' but is there a gameplan once they have the ball at their feet?

[Chris]

I don't mind Deano and all but yeah, leaving them near the top of the table in mid-September is not an achievement. Coventry and Derby were routinely at the top of the Championship at that stage most of the last few seasons and look how well they ended up doing.

I'm not sure I'm encouraged by this 'lets get less footballers in' stuff. It's all well and good having players who 'want to get to the ball first' but is there a gameplan once they have the ball at their feet?

Graft my friend. Graft.

[silent majority]

To be fair he did explain himself in a lot more detail at the Supporters Club AGM last week, and the way its been reported here it looks like he's talking about a team of cloggers and hopers but but if you had been there you would have got the full picture. He was in fact talking about playing football at home, grafting for points on our travels but essentially he wants players with heart, those who really want to win rather than picking up a wage.

[dickos1]

“I’ll get it right; I’ve done it before,” he claims

I would love to know when this was.

Well he left his previous side top of the league so itsnotdifficult to figure it out is it

They were actually 2nd when he left. After 10 games. What an achievement.

And finished 4th the year before

[Alan_Rovers]

I'm sure the other 23 clubs want players just like that.

The only thing that will matter most to the players though is the money on offer. As we're constantly trying to make savings and get rid of players, our targets will go elsewhere, to those clubs who are prepared to pay for genuine quality.

I actually feel sorry for Saunders. Even though he's a first class plonker and was bloody awful last season, his hands are now totally tied behind his back because of the board.

[drfcsteve]

Is it really necessary for us to keep harping on and on about how we HAVE to get rid of players? Other teams aren't stupid and I wouldn't be surprised if a week before the season started we got a load of paltry offers we have to accept. I think it would have been much better to keep our situation quieter and see what offers came in, no one in their right mind would bid for our players now knowing what they do.

[dickos1]

I'm sure the other 23 clubs want players just like that.

The only thing that will matter most to the players though is the money on offer. As we're constantly trying to make savings and get rid of players, our targets will go elsewhere, to those clubs who are prepared to pay for genuine quality.

I actually feel sorry for Saunders. Even though he's a first class plonker and was bloody awful last season, his hands are now totally tied behind his back because of the board.

You feel sorry for him this year cause his hands are tied, but last year you say he was awful when his hands were tied unbelievably tight behind his back.
Makes sense that

[Alan_Rovers]

He could have had principles last year and not got himself involved with the experiment. The only players brought in were the ones that McKay foisted upon him, so that proves Saunders is a man of little self-respect.

At least now McKay has f**ked off, Saunders can build his own team.

[RedJ]

He could have had principles last year and not got himself involved with the experiment. The only players brought in were the ones that McKay foisted upon him, so that proves Saunders is a man of little self-respect.

At least now McKay has f**ked off, Saunders can build his own team.

er sorry but how does it prove that?

[dickos1]

No manager with any ambition would turn down a job from a club 3 divisions higher.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

He could have had principles last year and not got himself involved with the experiment. The only players brought in were the ones that McKay foisted upon him, so that proves Saunders is a man of little self-respect.

At least now McKay has f***ed off, Saunders can build his own team.

I assume you'd go against your bosses and get yourself the sack wouldn't you?

[The Red Baron]

Is it really necessary for us to keep harping on and on about how we HAVE to get rid of players? Other teams aren't stupid and I wouldn't be surprised if a week before the season started we got a load of paltry offers we have to accept. I think it would have been much better to keep our situation quieter and see what offers came in, no one in their right mind would bid for our players now knowing what they do.

Agree 100%. I can see a big problem here, as we are not making many signings yet we want the core of the squad to go. If any of our "high earners" do move it will probably be some time between the start of the season and the end of August when the window closes, and it will then be difficult to get replacements.

[jonnydog]

IMO I expect the 'Experiment' would have been set out prior to his appointment. Although it's not fact, I reckon the 'experiment' was explained to Deano with a bit of JR spin, i.e. this is the plan, we feel you're the man for the job, and let's be honest (as someone else has said) to move to a club 3 leagues up, with potential signings of Diouf, Chimbonda etc... not many conference managers would refuse. Also, if he had said no to the experiment, who else might we have ended up with?

... Fair enough it failed. But now we get to see what Deano can do, albeit on a tighter budget, but I'm more than optimistic for the future and am looking forward to seeing games next season where we attack, get stuck in, and play for a win.

COYR 

[steve@dcfd]

What was said at forum for the future our budget is better than most in the division. But to achieve that we have to get rid of two or three high earners.
So we have 12 contracted players if Beye is not returning. We have 3 new signings and 5 first year professionals. Total of 20 players. But we have to lose 3 and the 5 first years are going on loan so that leaves us with 12 players, 10 outfield players and 2 keepers. So be fore the end of August we need at least another 7 players. Let's hope hard working Dean can get them and they have a bit of quality at least.
Dean said,
“If you put Richie Wellens, Billy Sharp and Matt Mills (who have all been sold) in our team now we’d have a great team, but since they’ve gone some of the players who looked really good are just average. Those three were making others look good.”

One thing Dean if the board could have kept RW  and MM and added Billy and Goalkeeper then you would never been manager, because we would have been promoted. Calling players that you are now managing average makes them feel motivated to play for you. Oh no you have got to get rid of them and replace them with below average players.