Club statement: https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2020/january/ben-garner-return/ We are pleased to report that Manager Ben Garner has returned to first-team duties, ahead of Saturday’s fixture against Fleetwood Town. The Rovers Manager returned to the training base at Cribbs F.C on Wednesday morning, as the squad continue preparations for Saturday’s Sky Bet League One fixture. Speaking about his return Ben said: “I would like to thank everyone for the messages of support both myself and my family have received during what has been a difficult time. As a family, we very much appreciate that our privacy was respected & would be thankful for this continuing to be the case moving forward. My thanks goes to the owners, the players, the staff, & the entire Gas family for their support and understanding. Fortunately I have been able to return to work today and our full focus is now on the match against Fleetwood on Saturday.”
Surprised his return was this swift, I thought it would be much longer, but very pleased for him that things presumably have sorted themselves out . Have a good feeling about the Fleetwood game on Saturday, think we will get back to winning ways at last. I foresee a very tight game that we will edge 1-0 (yes I know we can't keep a clean sheet, but we can't concede in every game forever more!). The prediction sites all seem to have this game down as a draw or an away win, but I reckon Garner will get his first victory against Fleetwood'
He was struggling since Boxing day while trying to deal with the issue at home. During that time he received a lot of stick at games. Forums is the place for such things but match days, support should be given. Im glad the club gave him time off to deal with the issue because it couldnt have been nice to try and manage the club and have that going on at home and be given stick on match days. Now things is better, he is back, a fresh start for him should be given.
Totally convinced that BG is the manager to take us forward. He wants to bring in young hungry players and try to bring them on and with our own youngsters that can only be good for the club
I really hope you're right, and I really hope he's right! My main concern at the moment is that we don't have enough quality in the squad to be able to play the way he wants us to, and it's going to take the manager quite a while to offload some and bring in the right players to make it work. Meanwhile, we will slowly slide down the table and before we know it, we'll be looking over our shoulders at teams below us, hoping for results to go our way! Having said that, there were definite signs of hope yesterday, and although I felt a draw was the most we deserved, it bodes well for the future as long as everyone remains patient (me included!) and we are prepared for a number of disappointments and setbacks until he gets the team he needs to match his aspirations
I was very disappointed yesterday to hear fans moaning at the manager and the team, we are in a time of change and the team need our support, yes it wasn't the best performance of the season but as supporters we need to get behind them all the time if we don't we encourage the away team / support because they can see our players are getting stick from some quarters of the home crowd
I think it was an improvement. You can see confidence is low yet the fans continue to moan at the players. Why don't these numpties understand We didn't lose. We looked strong again at the back. We kept a clean sheet (on keepers debut). We should have won if it wasn't for the pen miss. A few players got through 90 minutes after being out injured long term. New players beginning to gel well. New partnerships forming. I seen a fair few positives personally and can give me confidence that we will improve further.
I know this sounds a tad negative but guaging the opinion of a lot of fans around me If we lose at Bolton on Tuesday night and then get turned over by Covenrtry at home next Saturday I can see things turning decidedly awkward for both the directors and current manager of this football club.
I don't doubt that and it is a shame really. Garner hasn't had a chance. Came in to the club being the 4th manager in 4 games and had several games in quick succession while dealing with an urgent matter at home and everyone should know family comes first. He has only just returned back and is still unable to have a full week training with the players to get his idea's across. New recruits need time to gel and injured players returning who need more game time to get to their best. Im sorry but considering all of this, BG needs a lot more time from the fans and more faith. I feel more positive about BG than I ever did with GC. I can't put my finger on why but just considering all the facts, I like his signings, really impressed with the keeper signing, just need a top striker and some time and before you know it, we will be catching the teams in and around the play off again. And what has the owners done wrong now to get more aggro from the fans? He is limited on what he can spend due to the FFP rules. We have used our budget. Expect to see some eave as we've brought in a few players and have to balance the books so we don't break the rules. He has given funds to BG meaning he has back BG in this window. He didn't sack GC. Wael is not the reason GC went and not why we have dropped from 4th to where we are now. I have no doubts that both BG and the owners will get stick at the weekend but without sounding like Paul Buckle here, people need to temporarily lower their expectations and give the new man some time to work with the squad, which includes new recruits and returning injured players. We'll be alright. We'll put 5 or more past Bolton and the same people will be happy again.
Well said CJS lets give the BG a break, a soaking training ground, family health issues and a limited budget, Pep Guardiola would struggle to win matches with that scenario. This team will I believe pick up and climb the table, we over achieved and reached 4th place and people were moaning about boring football. There is an old saying you can please some of the people some of the time but you cant please all of the people all of the time so lets stop whinging and get behind the team and manger, we call ourselves supporters so lets SUPPORT the team and manager
It's crazy. I think people know we've been over achieving based on a small squad due to injuries and our budget. We are probably in the right place in the table, yet people are ready to go for the new manager who has inherited 99% of the squad and staff and has a very tight budget, all the while dealing with a family heath scare. He has only been here 4/5 weeks. Just doesn't make any sense. But hitting 4th and 1 point behind 2nd with a game in hand got people all excited and blind to what was really happening!
I think people just want to see and follow a forward moving club, one that doesn't get knocked out of cup competitions by teams second bottom in the football league YES second bottom in the football league and one that plays their football in a proper fit for purpose stadium, not some ramshackled dump of an excuse for a ground. A club that is run by proper footballing people and not used as toy's for rich kids. I feel sorry for Ben Garner as I thnk the timing of his appointment has come at a very crucial period for BRFC both on and off the playing field and I do hope that he has the strength and backing to continue as I am sure that given time he will become a very good coach. But football fans will always be football fans and for the reasons given above you cannot excuse some of them for wanting just a little bit more for their hard earned, especially maybe the older ones who have had the phrases " you have to be patient " and to " lower your expectations " thrown at them for more than enough time now ! Rovers have predominantly been a lower league club with maybe the odd flirtation with the second tier but sometimes it would be really nice to see just a little bit more proactiveness that would enhance the standing and hopefully status of our club. Another thing that I heard on Saturday and I must admit this puzzles me too is why oh why can a side like Fleetwood Town who brought a massive 81.No followers to the ground for a third division fixture attract the likes of Whelan, Evans and Burns to their ranks, whilst we only seem to get hold of misfits and journeymen ? Is it geographical or is it the fact that our club is poorly administered and consequently seen to be left wanting ?
Delsy I read somewhere that it had something to do with the revenue they earn from facilities at the ground, a bit like City and their pop concerts or using rooms for conferences and the like which is why Rovers can now hold 7? non football related events at the ground excluding things like the open day
He got them playing pretty well last night, should of kept a clean sheet, feel a little disappointed now if I am to be honest.
