We take a look at the favourites to become new Bristol Rovers manager after the sacking of Matt Taylor following defeat to Birmingham.
The League One outfit have terminated the contract of manager Matt Taylor, with the club sitting just two points above the relegation zone in League One.
Taylor had been appointed on the 1st of December 2023 under a three-and-a-half-year contract and led the team to 10 wins, finishing 15th last season.
However, for 2024/25, they have six wins from 19 league matches, and the recent 2-0 loss to Birmingham marked their third consecutive defeat, placing them 20th in the standings.
“The lads worked their socks off. I can’t fault the lads in terms of their effort and endeavour.”
💬 Matt Taylor shares his thoughts on this afternoon’s loss… pic.twitter.com/rljIru00PA
— Bristol Rovers (@Official_BRFC) December 14, 2024
CLUB STATEMENT:
Bristol Rovers FC can confirm that Manager Matt Taylor and Assistant Manager Wayne Carlisle have been relieved of their first team duties.
The Club would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Matt and Wayne for all their hard work during their time with Bristol Rovers, and we wish them both every success in their respective future careers.
David Horseman and Lee Cattermole will take interim responsibility for first-team football duties while the Club undertakes a thorough recruitment process for a new first-team manager.
FAVOURITES TO BECOME NEW BRISTOL ROVERS MANAGER
BetVictor – 16th Dec
Aitor Karanka – 1/3
Gary Rowett – 5/1
Lee Cattermole – 12/1
Des Buckingham – 25/1
Michael Appleton – 25/1
Steven Schumacher – 25/1
Matt Taylor said post-match: “You have to put it into the context of coming to Birmingham, the best team in the league, and playing them at their place. The goals obviously played a big part in the scoreline and the feel of the game.
“We can do a lot better in defending the first one, certainly in relation to the first contact on the set-piece and then getting a block. The second one is not a penalty. The referee will admit that when he sees it.
“So, straight away, you need to help yourselves, and you need a little bit of help from elsewhere in terms of the scoreline. But, throughout the course of the afternoon, whatever the structure of the team was, the ball use and the ball retention was nowhere near the level required to attack for any sustained period, to get a shot, to get a cross, to get any control of the game.
“The lads worked their socks off. I can’t fault the lads in terms of their effort and endeavour. James Wilson and Connor Taylor defended the goal so, so well. Josh Griffiths has not been overly tested, but whenever we got close to having the ball, we gave it away. Unfortunately, that is our biggest downfall at the moment.”
“Confidence and belief obviously plays a part. It’s my responsibility and my players. I played a big part in bringing these players to the club. We’ve just got too many without that control factor for long enough to create attacks.
“When we did get close to the opposition goal, for the life of me, I’m not sure why we don’t wrap our foot around the ball and cross it, throw it into the box, do anything to make them defend their box for a little bit longer than they had to do today.
“You need something to hold onto for longer than we have. I’ve got to give the players more credit today because you can lose your will earlier than we did, and we didn’t lose it today. Especially at a place like Birmingham where it’s hard enough as it is, but if you keep giving the ball away like we do, you can give up physically.
“But we competed, we ran, we defended our goal well. But there becomes a time when there’s other areas of the game that have to improve. The levels have to go up. Otherwise, we will continue this vein of not creating and not putting the opposition goal under any pressure whatsoever.
“If we had the same intent in our defensive moments into our attacking play, even before it becomes an attack, our ball use, we would be OK.
“Promise Omochere coming off the bench is a boost, but they have not been available for long enough. Whether it was Chris Martin, or Gatlin O’Donkor or its Promise, these players have not been available for long enough.
“I can’t put what I’m saying onto the front boys. I can’t. They can be better in terms of their ball use, of course, they can, but it’s the middle of the pitch, it’s the building aspect which we are currently lacking.
“That was a proper game of football. They’ve witnessed a team who will be going to the Championship. A team who are on the up, certainly in terms of their levels and what this league is about.
“2-0 is not a nice scoreline, but a lot of teams are going to come here and get beaten and struggle to create. But also, teams will come here and not put in the same effort as what we did today. The lads ran today, the lads competed. But it just feels the negativity around the place is in some aspects of our game we are below where we need to be.”
Here’s how fans reacted amid the favourites to become new Bristol Rovers manager after the sacking of Matt Taylor…
@JoshDunford4: all the best, shame it never worked out
@BRFCBill: Never nice to see anyone lose their jobs, especially when they’re thoroughly decent people, however, this was the right time. That said, wish Matt nothing but the best for the future. UTG
@Jordan_BRFC: No confidence in our new board to get this next appointment right.
@Ford4Caz: Feel for the guy as some fans never gave him a chance. Really hope the same doesn’t happen with whoever comes in next.
@SpeckledHens: Now time for the handbrake to be released and for the players to step up…good luck to MT and WC. #UTG
@PaishyGashead: Let’s not take 6 weeks this time
@Joe_UTG: One of the nicest blokes. Sad it didn’t work out all the best Matt 💙
@0contextrovers: Genuinely wish him the best but this has been long overdue. Let’s get behind the lads now
@harryjenkins22: right decision, next appointment is huge
@Alex07253967718: Buckingham 🤞
@_joshuahemmings: Good luck Matt 💙
@calcology: The writing was on the wall within the first two weeks of this season. MT has been in a perpetual spiral of failure and needs time away from the game to rediscover how to win.
@1_henshall: All the best, Matt. Really wanted MT to get the job. It’s never personal, but it’s not gone well at all. Hopefully he can take some time out of the game and do well somewhere else. Big response needed now against Wrexham this Saturday 💙
@liztheperry: Good luck to him, but this was way overdue – not sure how much faith I have in the board appointing the right person – here we go again
@Mitch_Tomlin: All the best MT. Let’s get it right now. UTG.
@MarcgrayWww: Horsemen can go aswell
@darrell_ben: Arguably the worst football I’ve watched in my life. Never won the fans over. The club have to get this next appointment right, an attack minded manager who will get these players going. Thank Christ that is over. UTG
@Akendell1966: Whilst it has been poor to watch , we need to act very carefully with how we treat managers. From the outside looking in he has been playing second fiddle to decisions outside of his control. Get it right new please board. Thanks to Matt and his staff for his efforts #UTG
@McDavyFace: Good luck Matt and Wayne. I think they came in at a difficult time for the club with many people trying to define their roles within the structure. I do worry about who would come into this mess but I think the club needs to be very transparent about what people are coming to.
@stockhambrfc: I hate seeing anyone lose there job and wish matt and Wayne all the best for the future unfortunately it just didn’t work. Let’s hope the board don’t waste time and make sure this appointment is right. #UTG
@ButlerJ21: Fair enough. Good luck Matt. Sadly over time we’ve become a sacking club. Can’t help but feel there is a toxic combination of unrealistic expectation, social media performative fan rage, and behind the scenes structural incompetence going on. Won’t change in short term
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