Bristol Rovers Head Coach Darrell Clarke said that he will keep fighting on after the Gas lost 4-0 to Barnet in Sky Bet League Two.
The Bees netted twice in each half to deliver Rovers their ninth straight defeat in the fourth tier, with the Pirates' last league win coming against Salford City at the end of September.
The Gas were 2-0 down at the break after goals from Adam Senior and Nnamdi Ofoborh, but improved in the second half. However, they could not find a way back into the contest, with a penalty from Mark Shelton and a close-range finish from Callum Stead completing the scoring for the hosts.
Speaking to the media after the defeat, Clarke reflected honestly on Rovers' defeat and their run of form.
Darrell, what is your assessment of what you have seen tonight?
“It was a diabolical performance. I can only apologise yet again to our supporters, who came in their numbers to watch that. I can only apologise, it was diabolical. I’ve got nothing positive to say. There were no leaders out there, no nothing. It was diabolical.”
How big a job is it to turn this around now?
“It’s a big job, it’s a massive job, it always has been. It’s getting worse, it’s getting harder, but my obituary has been written a few times at this football club. I’ll keep fighting on. I certainly don’t want to leave it in the state that it’s in at the minute. So, I’ll keep fighting on. The fans know what I am. I’m hurting, and I need to gather my thoughts.”
Are the players hurting as much as you at the moment?
“They better be. For me, talk is cheap; it’s all about actions and in the last eight or nine weeks, we have been awful, to be honest with you. Then you’re looking for characters and enough men and enough leaders in the group, and I don’t see it. I don’t see anywhere near enough of that, and we’ve got to find it from somewhere because it’s very painful at the minute.”
Nine straight defeats, it’s the worst run of form in the league in the club's history. How much of a stain on the players' CVs is that?
“It’s a disgrace on my CV, and the people I feel most for are our supporters. They know what I think about this club and how much I care about this club, and I’m not producing for them at the minute.
“The run is a shocking run. I don’t think we deserve nine defeats. If I am honest with you, I think there are a few performances in there that have been good, but nowhere near the standard and level we need at this football club, that is for sure. I’m not going to say too much after the game other than an apology.”
January still seems a long way away. With the players you have, do you feel you still can turn things around?
“I am not a quitter. Everybody knows me. Listen, I took this club into non-league, and I have no intentions of doing that again. I am not a quitter, and if I can, I’ll change things around in January, massively and do what needs to be done and in the summer. I have always been honest with the assessment, and to be honest with you, not a lot has changed my mind in eight or nine weeks.
“I keep giving players opportunities, they are not taking those opportunities, and I think the club is too big for some of them at the minute. I think one or two players we signed in the summer are not producing, so there is a lot of work to be done, and a lot of things are needed. I am always up for the fight; the fans know that.”
Saying the club is too big for them is a strong criticism; have they got to take that on the chin?
“I don’t care if they don’t take it on the chin; it’s facts. Talk is always cheap, but when I look out there and look for characteristics and men, I don’t see enough men out there. I don’t see enough players representing the club the way it should be represented, and I know how it should be represented.
“So, I have to do something about that. I have tried that. Arms around them, double days, triple sessions, bits and pieces. I have to keep working on and doing that until we can make the changes in January and then the summer, because it’s nowhere near good enough.
There are a lot of concerned Gasheads. What is your message to them?
“Of course they are going to be, I’m concerned. Everyone should be concerned, but we have got another game on Saturday, a derby game, and I’ve got to make sure that I’ve got a team there that’s going to do the club proud because in recent weeks, we certainly haven’t done that.”
