Following last weekend’s frustrating draw with Forest Green Rovers at Priestfield, Gillingham Head Coach Stephen Clemence has called for his side to rally as they make to trip on Saturday to face MK Dons. 

Speaking at this week’s briefing, Clemence told us, “We are definitely heading in the right direction, but if we go back to the last game (against Forest Green), I was as frustrated as the fans were at the end of the game.” 

“I do feel that we should be beating Forest Green – I will go back home on a Saturday night and a Sunday and watch the game again!”

“I can understand as we played far too slow and possession in our own half which is not how we are set up to play.”

“They showed us the respect and sat off us – it is the first time someone has actually done that to us – but I felt that we corrected it at half time and were fine for the first twenty/twenty-five minutes of the second half and got a goal ahead, but then we did not see the game out!”

“I said after the game that we probably could have gone and lost it which was disappointing… but the week before we go to Accrington who started above us and went a goal behind and came back to win the game!”

“The group is not in a bad place with four League games unbeaten and the players should be looking forward to the game at MK Dons at the weekend.”  

“It should be a good game as they have improved results under a new boss, and we will have to be intelligent on how we get after the ball.”

“I have seen them play five or six games in the build-up – teams have gone different ways against them and they seem to find answers, I think they’ve won six of the last eight and are in good form, but so are we, and we’ve got to make sure that when we have the ball, that we take our game to them as well as I think we can cause them problems.” 

“It will be a good test for us – I actually think that since I arrived and went to Wrexham in my first League game when we were just getting started, I think that it could be our biggest test! I have got full confidence in the boys to show up and give it a good go…” 

Giving no clues, the Head Coach then updated the potential transfer activity in the January window as he told us, “We’re very close to doing some business and I’m hoping that that can happen in the next day or two, but I’m hoping that it won’t be the end of it either – we’ll have to see what happens!” 

“If players do come in, then I think generally you do see players move out in a different direction and that is to balance the books sometimes and is also being fair to the players and their careers to make sure that they get the playing time.”

“There are some players now who are not even featuring on the bench – it is very, very difficult to pick a substitutes bench at the moment, never mind a starting line-up!” Clemence conceded.

“I think in my position here, I just want as many good players as possible as I think it gives you the best chance.”

“It is very difficult to keep them all happy; you have to have a lot of conversations with the players who are in the situation that they might not be playing, but I try to treat everybody correctly all-round the place.”