Gillingham boss Steve Lovell has been reflecting on the season that ends with a home game with Play-Off hopefuls Plymouth Argyle on Saturday evening.
“I won’t say it’s a big disappointment because we wanted to stay in the League,” Lovell told KSN.
“That was our aim – and we would have taken it back in October when we were 23rd in the table and we would have taken that. So, I’m happy that we stayed in the Division, but disappointed that we could kick on after the Portsmouth game and when we went to Bradford and from that game it hasn’t been what we would have liked from our group of players in the results.”
“Some of the games had decent performances but we never got the results so… I’ve always said that we’re good as a unit from the front all the way back to the goalkeepers, but going forward I think that if our front two weren’t scoring, we haven’t chipped in to score enough from other areas, which is obviously something that we have to work on for next year!”
“It’s a job that we had to come in and turn things around very very quickly which we did. We didn’t have time to think about what we were doing – we just had to get in and get on with it and make sure that we focused on the training sessions and make sure that the boys understand what’s required of them – you don’t have a chance really to ponder, you’ve just got to get out and do it.”
“And obviously it’s enjoyable when you’re getting the results and things are working. It’s not very enjoyable at all when you’re losing games – I know that I’m the worst loser in the world at home!”
“It’s not something that we enjoy – none of the players do; it’s a good habit winning, and we had a lot of Saturdays when we really enjoyed, but there have been a lot recently that we haven’t enjoyed! So, there’s two sides to it, but overall, I’ve really enjoyed the experience and looking forward to next year and pushing on!”
Lovell then turned his attention to those sides looking to leave League One upwards.
“The Wigan’s and the Blackburn’s deserve to go up as they’ve been the best sides this year,” he said.
“We’ve beaten Scunthorpe; we’ve beaten Rotherham; we’ve beaten Charlton – we’ve beaten them all, and that’s the only disappointing thing; if we only had the consistency all the way through, perhaps we would have been in that position, and that really is something that we’ll investigate next season.”
“We’ve got to look at it and hopefully in the summer we can strengthen. A lot of the teams at the top will have good squads where someone drops out and someone comes in to take their place who is just as good as the person coming out.”
“This year, we’ve had a lot of injuries and people off form and the people who have gone in haven’t produced what we’ve wanted them to produce and that’s something we’ll be looking to rectify in the summer.”
“We’ve got a good group of players here – they proved that when we went on that run. You’ve got to have people behind them who are as good as them and can come in and give them a break.”
“Players will lose form and players going in haven’t played enough games to go in and do themselves justice. And when you have that’s what produces consistency.”
Speculation is that there are up to twenty contracts up at Priestfield in the coming week making for a busy few weeks to say the least for the Gills boss.
“I think that players now understand that football is now a results-based industry and you need results now rather than two or three years down the line.”
“It’s one of the hardest things, but as well as you’re honest and open to the players and explain the reasons why, then I think it’s justified in the end. If you’re making decisions on players either to stay or to go, it’s got to be justified and players will understand that.”
“I think I know where we’re going to be with regards to all the players we have, but we’ve one more game to go on Saturday and then we’ll sit down and work out a plan for next year.”
We then asked the Gills supremo to grade his own performance in the hot-seat. After a while to consider his answer, Lovell said, “The first part to the end of January I’d say an eight and since then a seven.”
“I learn every game and every training session – I’m learning all the time. I love the games, I really do, as they throw open challenges that are happening then – you haven’t got time to think about things and you’ve got to do things quickly whether it be systems or subs – sometimes I’ve made subs this year where people have gone, what did you do that for?”
“And the answer is because it’s instinctive for me as it’s the right thing and I’ve always said that I will do things the way that I want to do it and it might be wrong in some people’s eyes – it might not work, but I will do it the way that I want to do it and if it comes off it’s great and it if doesn’t, I’ll learn from it.”
“The main thing is that we have stayed in the League – the challenge was set, and we’ve met it and we’re a League One side again for next season and now we’ve got to push on! That’s something that we have to take now to the next level and that’s what we’ll be working on during the summer to try and give us the greatest chance to push onto the next level!”
Lovell ended his final press briefing of the season with a special message to the Priestfield faithful… “I’d like to thank the fans for their support – they’ve been brilliant! They haven’t seen many home wins here this year and that’s something that we want to get back to – Priestfield used to be a fortress and it will be again.”
“Teams used to hate coming here and that’s something that we’ve got to get back. Our away form has been first class but Priestfield is where it counts for our supporters that turn up in their numbers week in week out – we want to entertain them, and we want to put on performances that they’re happy with.”
“So that’s something else that we have to do for next year after we finish off on Saturday and put on a good performance and hopefully get the three points and look forward to starting back in August!”