Paul Trollope Looks Ahead To Tomorrow

Last updated : 01 April 2010 By Thetashkentterror

Paul Trollope
Pirates boss Paul Trollope spoke to the official Bristol Rovers website and BBC Points West ahead of his side's League One match against Carlisle at Brunton Park tomorrow, Trollope still holding faint hopes of the Black Arabs reaching the play-offs :


" Easter is always the case for knowing a lot more relegation and promotion issues, especially the teams who have got outside chances, which is all ours is at the moment. We will need a good return, we appreciate that, we need to win a lot of games between now and the end of the season.

" Over the last eight or nine games we've shown we are capable even against the better teams in the league. The key as always is to find the consistency to be able to win enough. Things can change very quickly over Easter with two games in a short space of time, if you can get yourselves right and get a good points return of six points then we could still be within reach.

" Of course Carlisle will be hurting after Wembley, they have done exceptionally well to get there and even in recent weeks in the league they have picked up some good wins at home against Colchester and MK Dons for example. They are capable of beating the top teams in the division up there so we go there with a lot of respect.

" They will want to bounce back from that defeat, although I am sure it was a fantastic day out. Even at the end of the game when the game had gone they showed a good spirit and they showed the threats they have, and the set-piece threat as well. Carlisle is a long journey, but our record up there is not bad, we have put in some decent performances up there, not always got what we deserved, but we have performed to a good level up there. "



" So we are looking forward to another away game, as our fortunes have improved on the road, as have the results. So we will go up there with respect as always but we will certainly from our point of view want to continue from the last away game at Yeovil when we produced a performance of a good level. We looked very, very dangerous there in our attacking play and we will be looking for the same again.

" Darryl Duffy seems to be doing well, it has been a bit stop-start for him, with the JPT Final obviously he couldn't play and he has been back down for rehabilitation work on a groin injury. So with the JPT as well it has not been a flowing start for him but he has played a few games and scored a goal. I am sure they are looking to welcome him back after our game on Friday.

" Looking at the latest weather forecasts I think we will be alright. They have had a lot of snow in Scotland and Northern Ireland but I think it is going to clear this afternoon. It will be wet, but we are very keen to play, for obvious reasons, it is a big weekend for us and we want to get it underway with a win.

" We were pleased to have scored seven goals in the last two games, certainly we needed to score four last Saturday to win it. There were a lot of issues defensively, not just from the back four, but right through the side, that we need to address this week. We need to keep the spirit that we have had, keep that commitment and also keep the fire power. We look likely when we get up there, we managed to score some good goals. "



" It is the first time all season we have had a very settled team. Byron (Anthony) has gone into right back and looked very at home there, defended well and even contributed going the other way, which has been a welcome surprise. He misses the two games over the weekend, but in Carl Regan we have got a ready made replacement, who is very, very capable and played a lot of games before Christmas.

" He has been training to a very good level and shown a good application, despite his frustrations about not playing. I have no hesitation that he can go in and continue where he left off. He is an experienced professional and he knows the situation, he understands the form of the team and how Byron has done. The competition is fair here, and he knows that. His position has become available and he is going to start the game.

" There may be bits of contracts news before the Leeds game, we are trying to be fair to everyone in terms of not leaving it too late. Obviously we have done some of the younger players already, we have tied up some of the players who have been in and around the first team in their early 20s already.

" We have spoken to one or two individuals about possibilities, not going into any names yet and the very young professionals have mostly been done now. So the process is ongoing, we are in talks with the chairman (Nick Higgs) at the moment about the budget for next year and the possibilities on that side of things. I don't think, standing where I am now, I don't think it will be after the last game, I think it will be before that. "