Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - Moving On: From Loughborough Uni to Bristol Rovers (FM 16)

Greyfriars Bobby · 03-21-2020, 02:47 PM

5 August 2017

It's time for the National League season to begin!

I mentioned I was able to bring some of my favorite staff with me from Loughborough Uni. I kept the Head of Youth Development, Tom Curtis. He's good at his job, but when I learned Curtis had both attended and coached Loughborough University, that bit of karma sealed the deal! In between, he was a midfielder for several clubs, most notably Chesterfield.

Chief scout Bernard Concannon and scout Michael Tonge also remain with the first team staff.

While I was figuring out which staff members to replace with my Loughborough staff, I somehow terminated my assistant manager. Somewhat redfaced, I offered the job to veteran Scottish coach Andy Watson, and to my delight, he accepted. Andy is extremely good at what he does, especially for a National League club. His eye for talent is exceptional.

Andy provides the star ratings you'll see in this introduction to the 2017/18 Bristol Rovers squad.

Goalkeepers

Last year's first team goalkeeper, Ben Wilson, was in on loan from Cardiff City, so one of the first items on my "to-do" list was finding a new man. I want to play the same kind of football in Bristol that I did with the Scholars, which means I need a sweeper keeper.

I found one in McLoughlin, who has bounced around Leagues One and Two without ever finding a home. Perhaps the Ireland youth international will found one at The Memorial Ground.

Youngster Preston will be his backup.

Full Backs

There are a number of versatile players in the team, which is a good thing. I'll be highlighting them with the position group in which I think they'll feature most prominently.

I have two options at left back, veteran Griffiths and young Nditi. Griffiths is a better defender, while Nditi's pace makes him especially dangerous going forward.

Chelsea loaned us Adrian Smith, who immediately moves into the first eleven at right back. He has everything he needs to excel at this level and, with any luck, he'll play for England one day. You'll recognize Haran, who played so well for my Loughborough side and ought to be a solid backup here--with the potential to become even better.

The other players shown here are probably more valuable at other positions, but can fill in here when needed.

Central Defenders

It wasn't easy to persuade Lockyer to stay around; he was frustrated at Rovers' inability to make it back to League football, and wanted to leave. I managed to talk him into staying another year, and I'm glad I did. Tom was last year's Supporters' Player of the Year. Small for a center back, he's very athletic and composed with the ball at his feet.

He will pair with Parkes, the club captain, who is tall and powerful. In reserve, I have Frempah and Kilgour, young prospects with good attitudes and professional approaches to the game. Kilgour is just as comfortable playing right back.

I'm also in negotiations with Scholars center back Adam Hunt, hoping to bring him to Bristol.

Central Midfielders

Rovers played 4-4-2 almost exclusively last year, so they didn't have a defensive midfielder in their team. I signed Chris Smith on a free. The former Ipswich man has the cool head of a veteran at age 19. He can also play farther up the pitch, or at center back.

He will compete for playing time with Rehman, whom we're loaning in from Wolves. Like Chris, Akeal is versatile and tough. They'll both see lots of action.

I have several options for the other two midfield spots, too. Lines, who has been with the club since 2002, will probably start most of the time. He's a good fit for the playmaker role, with good vision and technical skill. Tenacious Sinclair is a tireless ball-winner, perhaps not as smooth as the other contenders here. Clarke, another long-serving player, is the same type of tough-tackling midfield destroyer. Then there's O'Hanlon, who demonstrated an eye for a pass at Loughborough and could develop into just as effective a creator here.

Wide Midfielders

Lots of names here. I'll highlight the ones who are most likely to do most of their work on the flanks.

My predecessor signed Daniel last year, and he was a sensation at left wing. He has all the attributes of a traditional English winger--pace, crafty dribbling, and the ability to cross the ball. He made the National League Team of the Year last season. Gosling can also feature here. He's won 24 caps for Gibraltar, which adds immensely to his coolness factor. I coaxed Barnes away from Loughborough, and he'll hopefully develop his promising potential with us.

Another veteran, Whelpdale, will have first dibs on the right side. He is an especially well-rounded footballer who does most things fairly well. Coulson will be unavailable for at least four months while his damaged knee heals. And, yes, that's the same Michael Taylor you got to know last year at Loughborough.

I tried to get Elvis Otim to sign for us, but his salary demands were too excessive.

Center Forwards
In the days before I took the Bristol Rovers job, one of our strikers refused to sign a new contract and left the club, and another departed when his loan ended. Left with one true forward in the team, I had to go shopping...and I had no transfer budget with which to shop.

Fortunately, the one I had was a good one. Matty Taylor won the Golden Boot last year, firing in 22 goals, and he joined Daniel in the Team of the Year.

I brought in Turner on a year-long loan from Oldham. He is very quick and has a nose for goal.

And, since he's now turned 22 and is going to have to leave Loughborough Uni anyway, why not see what ter Horst can do at this level?

Final Thoughts
We are the pundits' pick for National League champion this year, with 5:1 odds to lift the trophy. My board expect the same thing. Those expectations are nothing new; I faced the same situation last year with Loughborough Uni. I inherited a solid team, and if they get the knack of my 4-1-2-3 DM Wide formation, we ought to be very competitive. I added a few players, such as McLoughlin, the Smiths, and Rehman, who should make the tactic work better here.

The former Loughborough Uni players will be fun to have around. None of them are good enough right now to be regular starters at this level (O'Hanlon is the closest) but my staff and I think the ones I signed have the potential to help us one day. They'll all play for the Under 21s, too, in order to get the playing time they need to develop.

03-21-2020, 02:47 PM	#22
Greyfriars Bobby College Prospect Join Date: Sep 2013	5 August 2017 It's time for the National League season to begin! I mentioned I was able to bring some of my favorite staff with me from Loughborough Uni. I kept the Head of Youth Development, Tom Curtis. He's good at his job, but when I learned Curtis had both attended and coached Loughborough University, that bit of karma sealed the deal! In between, he was a midfielder for several clubs, most notably Chesterfield. Chief scout Bernard Concannon and scout Michael Tonge also remain with the first team staff. While I was figuring out which staff members to replace with my Loughborough staff, I somehow terminated my assistant manager. Somewhat redfaced, I offered the job to veteran Scottish coach Andy Watson, and to my delight, he accepted. Andy is extremely good at what he does, especially for a National League club. His eye for talent is exceptional. Andy provides the star ratings you'll see in this introduction to the 2017/18 Bristol Rovers squad. Goalkeepers Last year's first team goalkeeper, Ben Wilson, was in on loan from Cardiff City, so one of the first items on my "to-do" list was finding a new man. I want to play the same kind of football in Bristol that I did with the Scholars, which means I need a sweeper keeper. I found one in McLoughlin, who has bounced around Leagues One and Two without ever finding a home. Perhaps the Ireland youth international will found one at The Memorial Ground. Youngster Preston will be his backup. Full Backs There are a number of versatile players in the team, which is a good thing. I'll be highlighting them with the position group in which I think they'll feature most prominently. I have two options at left back, veteran Griffiths and young Nditi. Griffiths is a better defender, while Nditi's pace makes him especially dangerous going forward. Chelsea loaned us Adrian Smith, who immediately moves into the first eleven at right back. He has everything he needs to excel at this level and, with any luck, he'll play for England one day. You'll recognize Haran, who played so well for my Loughborough side and ought to be a solid backup here--with the potential to become even better. The other players shown here are probably more valuable at other positions, but can fill in here when needed. Central Defenders It wasn't easy to persuade Lockyer to stay around; he was frustrated at Rovers' inability to make it back to League football, and wanted to leave. I managed to talk him into staying another year, and I'm glad I did. Tom was last year's Supporters' Player of the Year. Small for a center back, he's very athletic and composed with the ball at his feet. He will pair with Parkes, the club captain, who is tall and powerful. In reserve, I have Frempah and Kilgour, young prospects with good attitudes and professional approaches to the game. Kilgour is just as comfortable playing right back. I'm also in negotiations with Scholars center back Adam Hunt, hoping to bring him to Bristol. Central Midfielders Rovers played 4-4-2 almost exclusively last year, so they didn't have a defensive midfielder in their team. I signed Chris Smith on a free. The former Ipswich man has the cool head of a veteran at age 19. He can also play farther up the pitch, or at center back. He will compete for playing time with Rehman, whom we're loaning in from Wolves. Like Chris, Akeal is versatile and tough. They'll both see lots of action. I have several options for the other two midfield spots, too. Lines, who has been with the club since 2002, will probably start most of the time. He's a good fit for the playmaker role, with good vision and technical skill. Tenacious Sinclair is a tireless ball-winner, perhaps not as smooth as the other contenders here. Clarke, another long-serving player, is the same type of tough-tackling midfield destroyer. Then there's O'Hanlon, who demonstrated an eye for a pass at Loughborough and could develop into just as effective a creator here. Wide Midfielders Lots of names here. I'll highlight the ones who are most likely to do most of their work on the flanks. My predecessor signed Daniel last year, and he was a sensation at left wing. He has all the attributes of a traditional English winger--pace, crafty dribbling, and the ability to cross the ball. He made the National League Team of the Year last season. Gosling can also feature here. He's won 24 caps for Gibraltar, which adds immensely to his coolness factor. I coaxed Barnes away from Loughborough, and he'll hopefully develop his promising potential with us. Another veteran, Whelpdale, will have first dibs on the right side. He is an especially well-rounded footballer who does most things fairly well. Coulson will be unavailable for at least four months while his damaged knee heals. And, yes, that's the same Michael Taylor you got to know last year at Loughborough. I tried to get Elvis Otim to sign for us, but his salary demands were too excessive. Center Forwards In the days before I took the Bristol Rovers job, one of our strikers refused to sign a new contract and left the club, and another departed when his loan ended. Left with one true forward in the team, I had to go shopping...and I had no transfer budget with which to shop. Fortunately, the one I had was a good one. Matty Taylor won the Golden Boot last year, firing in 22 goals, and he joined Daniel in the Team of the Year. I brought in Turner on a year-long loan from Oldham. He is very quick and has a nose for goal. And, since he's now turned 22 and is going to have to leave Loughborough Uni anyway, why not see what ter Horst can do at this level? Final Thoughts We are the pundits' pick for National League champion this year, with 5:1 odds to lift the trophy. My board expect the same thing. Those expectations are nothing new; I faced the same situation last year with Loughborough Uni. I inherited a solid team, and if they get the knack of my 4-1-2-3 DM Wide formation, we ought to be very competitive. I added a few players, such as McLoughlin, the Smiths, and Rehman, who should make the tactic work better here. The former Loughborough Uni players will be fun to have around. None of them are good enough right now to be regular starters at this level (O'Hanlon is the closest) but my staff and I think the ones I signed have the potential to help us one day. They'll all play for the Under 21s, too, in order to get the playing time they need to develop.