Match Preview
Blogger Interview - Doncaster Rovers FC Exiles
Cherry Chimes takes some time out to let Doncaster Rovers FC Exiles have the spotlight as we find out what Lewis Ward thinks about Doncaster's season and how the Championship is shaping up for them as we approach the run-in. Are Doncaster in a good position to stay up?
CC: Did you expect to be about where Doncaster are in the league at this point of the season?
DRE: We’ve experienced the Championship before so we always knew it was going to be tough. There is such a wide range of clubs in this league; anyone can beat anyone, you just can’t predict it.
All Rovers fans knew we wouldn’t be pushing to high up the league. As long as we’re safe at the end of the season we’ll be happy.
CC: Do you think Paul Dickov has done okay since he came in?
DRE: Dickov has surprised many Rovers fans. The general feeling when he was appointed was disappointment, but I think he’s managed to change the opinions of a lot of us. He’s made some great signings, including Ross Turnbull and Mark Duffy. Even when we’ve been struck by injury, he’s not panicked and brought in decent cover.
CC: Is a regular goal scorer the main thing you feel the team needs to get it out of any trouble this season?
DRE: Scoring goals has been a bit of a worry for us so far, Chris Brown works hard up front but there never seems to be anyone to put the ball over the line. With this worry, I think we have to be grateful that we have Ross Turnbull at the back, otherwise we would be in a much worse position.
CC: Who has been your best player this season?
DRE: Ross Turnbull has been fantastic for us so far, without him I could see us being much further down the table. Mark Duffy has also been a great addition while James Coppinger is having a fantastic season. Individual performances aren’t our problem, it’s the end product.
CC: What did you feel when Billy Sharp came back to the club?
DRE: The buzz around the club was amazing. We knew someone was signing and all we had been told is that we wouldn’t be disappointed if Dickov got his man, and we certainly weren’t! After he signed, ticket sales rocketed for our game at Blackpool that weekend, producing a fantastic atmosphere. Hopefully he’ll do the business after his suspension.
CC: What have you thought of Federico Macheda, has he made a difference?
DRE: His first spell was more successful than his second. He scored a brace against Forest and a vital goal to earn our only away win so far at Sheffield Wednesday. When he returned, after a spell back at Manchester United, he didn’t pull up any trees and none of us were too disappointed when we didn’t renew his loan. He seems to be doing well at Birmingham and we wish him all the best there.
CC: Has Tamas been a good signing at the back?
DRE: Tamaş has been a brilliant signing so far. His ability at the back, along with Abdoulaye Méïté, has really strengthened our defence. After the pair signed, we have conceded only five goals which is a major improvement to the side’s form before.
CC: You have a pretty good run of results in 2014 do you see things improving or are you nervous?
DRE: The mini run was such a lift for players and fans alike but the aim was to keep it going and get some points on the board. Over the past few weeks, we seem to have slumped on the road, losing to both Brighton and Yeovil. It is vital for us to keep our heads up and move on.
CC: How has Harry Forrester been doing in the Championship since his move from Brentford?
DRE: Harry’s had a torrid time since joining Rovers. Every time he fights off an injury he seems to be knocked back with another problem. Dickov has said that he will not rush him back and has told him to aim for a return in pre-season to prevent any further setbacks.
CC: What did you think of Doncaster's recent performances against Barnsley and Yeovil?
DRE: The game against Barnsley was a typical local derby. We played well but it’s disappointing that Barnsley equalised so late on and denied us the three point. The performance at Yeovil on Saturday was disappointing. We hardly tested their keeper and probably deserved what we got. The fact that every side below us, except Millwall, won made it even more frustrating.
CC: The last two games between Doncaster and Bournemouth have been close so can you see this match being won by a single goal?
DRE: If our recent form is anything to go by, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if the game was so close. We’ve not had too many 1-0 victories this season so, if it’s us who score first, we could add to that tally but we will more than likely concede in the game.
CC: Who do you think is going down this season from the Championship?
DRE: That’s a really tough question, the bottom of the table is so tight that almost anyone from the bottom half could face the drop. The bottom three have been in that position for several weeks now so I’m going to say that Yeovil, Barnsley and Charlton be the ones who are condemned to relegation.
CC: Thanks for taking the time to put those answers together Lewis. I kind of thought you may go for other teams rather than Doncaster to be facing the drop to League One , but I am pleased you did not put AFCB among your three. Charlton seem to be improving so the likes of Bournemouth, Doncaster and Millwall had better look sharp if we don't want to be sucked in. I believe the AFCB v Doncaster game is massive for both clubs and neither club will want to lose this one. You can check out what Lewis and other Doncaster fans have been writing at the Doncaster Rovers FC Exiles website, there's a report on their last outing against Yeovil (James Hayter had a good day) and much more.
No comments:
Post a Comment