Manager Keith Hill has been speaking to Dale Player ahead of Saturday’s League One fixture v Yeovil Town at Spotland…
Hill, who was in a positive mood, says he has drawn a line under Tuesday night’s defeat to Oldham Athletic, as his side prepare for the visit of the Glovers.
“I know as a Manager that because of the inconsistencies of the young players and one or two of the senior players that we might get that type of game and performance. Not with respect to the injuries, but with the performance, which wasn’t acceptable. It was, however, understandable from my experience and as a manager I’ve got to be very forgiving and move on quickly into the next training session and the next game. I’ve got to keep the whole environment upbeat and positive, and that’s what we intend to do because we’re developing.”
He continued: “We’re very productive at this football club at this moment in time. We’ve re-established our identity and now we want to build our identity even further.
“We’re really pleased with the impact that players like Andy Cannon have made this season, as well as Callum Camps and many alike. You know, Scott Tanser has had a great introductory season into first team football, while Jamie Allen has continued to be successful on the pitch.
“At the beginning of the season I don’t know if I was being a little bit naïve or a little bit green, but I never expected us to struggle in League One, while everyone else did. Everyone I spoke to thought that we had to be ready for a really, really difficult season. It has been difficult season and it continues to be, but it has also be an enjoyable season and one where we’ve been successful.
“I spoke to the Chairman this week, who said it has been a magnificent season and I agree with him one-hundred percent. That doesn’t mean that we can’t show the ambition to match and rival the Preston’s, the
Bristol City’s, the Swindon’s, the MK Dons’, the Bradford’s and the Yeovil’s of this world, who have been more than established in the higher leagues of the football pyramid for a longer period of time than Rochdale.”
Bottom of the table Yeovil Town are the visitors to Spotland this weekend, and with the Glovers in a relegation battle to avoid the drop to League Two, Hill believes his side are in for a difficult encounter, and has asked for supporters to be the twelfth man.
“It’s a very difficult game. I think that sometimes when you reach rock bottom your free yourself from expectation and pressure, and you just go out and play. That’s the how the game should be played, regardless of whether or not you feel as though you’re out of the game or you’re actually pushing from a promotion spot. This a really, really difficult game to manage from the players point of view and from the supporters.
“The supporters have to play a massive part tomorrow in forgiving the players and the club for losing on Tuesday and supporting our team’s efforts to overcome what will be really, really difficult opposition.
“They can be our twelfth man. These are the really difficult games when you need your supporters.”
The full interview is available to view on Dale Player.