00:00Despite what on the surface appeared to be a positive summer for Bristol Rovers, things have not started well for them on the pitch.
00:08Things looked great when Daryl Clark was reappointed as head coach and he had assistants come in to support him.
00:14And of course, the club have been very active in the transfer market so far, bringing in a whole host of new players to combat what was a tragedy of relegation at the end of last season under Inigo Calderon.
00:25And yet, on the pitch, things could not have started in worse fashion for the gas.
00:30They've lost three games in a row, the most recent of which was in the Carabao Cup as they were dumped out of the competition at home against Cambridge United in the first round of the competition.
00:402-0 was the final score. Goals in each half. The first, around the half-hour period from Louis Appert.
00:47And then a header towards the end from Ryan Loft of Cambridge sealed the deal and saw Bristol Rovers dumped out of the competition.
00:56Well, it's fair to say that Daryl Clark was not very pleased after the full-time whistle as he reacted to yet another loss for the club that he manages.
01:07It's clear to see that it's having an impact on him and he is very unhappy with his players so far and the way that they have performed and acted as the season has got underway.
01:17But let's hear exactly what he had to say following the full-time whistle against Cambridge as Bristol Rovers lost once again during the start of their season.
01:26Painful watch?
01:28There's no idea from that fact. A million miles away from where we need to be. Where we need to be at. I think there's lots of circumstances in and around that as well as a why.
01:41But, listen, I can't say no more. It's a painful night. It's painful watching that, to be honest with you, at times.
01:49But where we're at at the minute, I'm afraid. So, more work, more mentality. You still see players a little bit scarred, still see players trying to find their feet a little bit, get the rhythm.
02:00But, like I said, to the players there after the game, after the pitch, you've got to stomach this up because those performances won't be accepted by myself or the supporters.
02:10So, you've got to dig deep and understand that next time you come out, it'll be miles better.
02:17The manner of the goals must have just left you so immensely frustrated, helpless completely. It's individual errors and completely punished by Cambridge.
02:26Which, listen, it's not just the goals, it's just the performance in general, to be honest with you. The goals are poor conceded goals and we're a little bit lightweight in the back line as things stand at the minute with circumstances.
02:37So, we do look a little bit soft at the minute. We do look a little bit fragile. We do look like we're not a team, anywhere near a team at the minute.
02:44And that's up to myself and the coaching staff to get that a lot better and a lot righter.
02:50So, I'll take the pressure off the players and I know where we're sort of going to be heading and we're a million miles away off that.
02:57So, it's a bit of another painful night for us.
03:01You made the changes at the break, but was it two you had pre-planned? You said about the number of games recently.
03:05I know it enabled you to change the shape of the two coming off. Was it just because of that?
03:09Well, listen, Alfie's calf tightened really up. We know the centre-back situation, so there's no way I could afford to risk that.
03:15But, you know, I've got Promis and Josh on the bench, but they wouldn't have even made the bench, to be honest with you,
03:20if they didn't have nine subs because I've got to be careful on their minutes and their load because, you know,
03:25obviously Promis' injury record last season, I can't be forward to playing him Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday off the bat.
03:30And these are the things that, you know, that's always going to stop getting some rhythm.
03:34Players, you know, Fabrizio's coming in fresh, but he plays his first 60, 65 minutes the other day.
03:39There's so many circumstances around why that performance is as bad as it is.
03:43But, you know, I always take accountability for that.
03:45But it's a painful night, but I also know there won't be loads of nights like that.
03:52Chesterfield, Saturday, you've said before about bringing a couple of players in before the windows shuts,
03:56but is there going to be enough time to do any business by then?
03:59Well, let's hope so, because we need them, don't we?
04:01It's there for all to see.
04:02You know, obviously we've had a window.
04:05There's always going to be a bit of a transfer window like this, as in to say,
04:08because when you get relegated, there has to be a sensibility on your costs and cover your costs.
04:13And we've had to sell a couple of players, which is then going to enable us to invest in other areas of the squad.
04:20So with that, you have to be patient.
04:22But you also have to make sure that you get players better than the ones we've got in the building.
04:26You know, I don't want squad players coming in.
04:29I certainly don't need that.
04:31I need players that are going to be coming in into the 11 to make us a lot stronger.
04:35And we will get stronger.
04:37It's painful at the minute.
04:38It's painful for the gas heads.
04:39It's painful for the fans.
04:40I get it.
04:41I understand it.
04:41I understand the frustration.
04:43We want to hit the ground running.
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