Southport Matchday Thread

DC has been asked about Ellis in every interview for the last 6 weeks, you can see he is getting visibly irritated by it now, i'm not sure why Radio Bristol have an agenda to keep going on about Ellis. The lad is doing superb at the moment, and DC praises him everytime he is asked about him, but i fail to hear any other players names thrown at DC in every interview, and the manager wants everyone to realise it's a team game, and there are plenty of others playing really well atm too.

Worrying how you thrashed Halifax today who are usually a big horrible side who are hard to break down. Gateshead are the one team i wouldn't want on the last day of the season even if they haven't got anything to play for. I think next weekend could go a long way to deciding whether the last day of the season is a nail biter or a party day for you.

An awesome telephone report - the bloke wasn't even at PNE - typical s**thead! A real revolution!

Never even thought about ringing in to Radio Bristol even when I've been to an away game, let alone having sat at home and listened on the wireless!

Surprised GT didn't ask if he meant revelation?

Whatever is behind DC's consistent refusal to praise Ellis in the media, I don't perceive any real coolness between them. I saw DC with his arm round Ellis at the end of the game, seemingly offering some words of advice as they started to leave the field.

Other observations, in passing:

When the Man of the Match award was announced, Matty Taylor applauded the decision. (not in an ironic way, as far as I could see!!).

Ellis does make me laugh. He and Matty Taylor walked off together in front of the "Filton Bank", Ellis with his arm around his team-mate. They both then started to return the ovation from the fans, but with his arm still around his team-mate's shoulder, as Ellis clapped, he (knowingly) cuffed Matty Taylor round the ear!! 

Quite right its called man management and DC seems very good at it, as the great team spirit seems to show.

Ellis may have to play up to 5 more games this season and needs to keep his feet on the ground.

He was excellent against Eastleigh away and is now showing some consistency.

After the Kiddie game LM jokingly said that Ellis was so high in the dressing room that he might have to
give him a couple of back handers to calm him down.

I am surprised that a few of the increasingly desperate DC moaners haven't sited this as DC encouraging fighting
in the dressing room.

2 - 5 games to go it really is time for everyone to get behind a very good manager and a team that is giving its all for the cause.

Thanks for the link, WCG. I hadn't heard that particular interview; I had only read the summary. It's much more informative to listen to DC, as you can get a lot of insight from his tone of voice. It's interesting that even the Radio Bristol host commented on DC's interviews, describing him as "shy of accepting praise". In this interview (after the Kidderminster win) DC appears to be happy, light-hearted and almost in celebratory mood. (He didn't even object to the interviewer's use of the phrase "celebrating with the fans" [at Kidderminster], where - to be consistent with his own obvious focus on and determination to win the main prize(s) available to Rovers this season - I would have expected him to say "there's nothing to celebrate yet"). 

I have to agree that my phrase "constant refusal" was a little too strong. I was basing it on interviews I'd heard throughout the season, including yesterday on Radio Bristol after the Southport game. I think, however, I will stick to my guns on the main point: DC is demonstrating superb man-management capability in his handling of Ellis. His approach even extends to conveying the same message through the media to the fans. See my transcript below, from which the key phrase might be: "If he..doesn't let things get to his head, which I won't let him, he'll be a hell of a player for us".

Interviewer: I know you don't like talking about individuals, but...Ellis Harrison...super-sub...

DC responds: [higher voice-pitch, possibly underlining WCG point about irritation with the question] He's ...he's.....

Interviewer: ....scored two goals....

DC: He's a young lad that's coming on in leaps and bounds, he's scoring goals and he's working hard for the team. That's what I want to see, what we saw from him today where he works hard, he puts himself about and runs the channels. I thought him and Bliss were outstanding up top, then Matty, who's had a magnificent season, came on and scored a great header as well. So the three strikers all played their part, but special mention to Ellis for getting the first goal, being brave, getting in there. If he keeps improving, and he keeps listening and keeps learning, and doesn't let things get to his head, which I won't let him....he'll be a hell of a player for us.

Having reviewed the interview, and recognising that what a manager says about an individual player will probably get back to that player, I think DC is very careful to ensure whatever he says to a player in private is not contradicted in public. So, not only is he supporting his message to Ellis, he also managed to give some words of praise to Nathan Blissett, Matt Taylor and (later in the interview) to Chris Lines.