Rovers boss Darrell Clarke says transfer-listed Ellis Harrison will be given an opportunity to force his way back into the first-team picture when the players return for pre-season training next week.
Harrison was frozen out of the picture in the weeks after Clarke took charge of first-team affairs to replace John Ward in March. The winger was dropped from the squad that made the trip to Portsmouth on Easter Saturday and was then left out of the Easter Monday clash against Rochdale in favour of two youth-team players.
Clarke confirmed afterwards that he was omitted over a failure to "listen" to staff and that his future at the club would be determined by his ability to muster a "change" in attitude. Harrison was placed on the transfer list at the end of the season, but has not been subject to any interest and is set to report back to the training ground for the start of pre-season training with the rest of the players on Monday morning.
Clarke siad:
"We are coming back to prepare for a new season and that means there is a clean slate and a chance for everybody to show me that they have a desire to be part of my plans. As far as I am aware there has been no interest in Ellis, but I know that he has been working hard to get himself in good shape before he returns for pre-season. That is encouraging for me to hear and the kid will have every opportunity to come back and prove to me that he has taken on board some of the things we discussed at the end of last season. If Ellis comes back in the right frame of mind and shows a good attitude and a desire to do the things I have asked of him, then the door is open for him. What has gone before is in the past as far as I am concerned and Ellis will be given the same opportunities as everybody else. It is down to him to grasp those opportunities over the coming weeks. It is important that any players here have the right mind-set in that they have the desire to play for this football club and are determined to get it back to where it needs to be."
Taken from the Post.
Harrison was frozen out of the picture in the weeks after Clarke took charge of first-team affairs to replace John Ward in March. The winger was dropped from the squad that made the trip to Portsmouth on Easter Saturday and was then left out of the Easter Monday clash against Rochdale in favour of two youth-team players.
Clarke confirmed afterwards that he was omitted over a failure to "listen" to staff and that his future at the club would be determined by his ability to muster a "change" in attitude. Harrison was placed on the transfer list at the end of the season, but has not been subject to any interest and is set to report back to the training ground for the start of pre-season training with the rest of the players on Monday morning.
Clarke siad:
"We are coming back to prepare for a new season and that means there is a clean slate and a chance for everybody to show me that they have a desire to be part of my plans. As far as I am aware there has been no interest in Ellis, but I know that he has been working hard to get himself in good shape before he returns for pre-season. That is encouraging for me to hear and the kid will have every opportunity to come back and prove to me that he has taken on board some of the things we discussed at the end of last season. If Ellis comes back in the right frame of mind and shows a good attitude and a desire to do the things I have asked of him, then the door is open for him. What has gone before is in the past as far as I am concerned and Ellis will be given the same opportunities as everybody else. It is down to him to grasp those opportunities over the coming weeks. It is important that any players here have the right mind-set in that they have the desire to play for this football club and are determined to get it back to where it needs to be."
Taken from the Post.
