Jerry’s thoughts ahead of tonight’s match v Havant & Waterlooville

Read Jerry Gill’s programme notes ahead of tonight’s match.

Good evening everyone from myself, staff and players. My extended welcome goes to Paul, his staff and players from Havant and Waterlooville FC. We hope they have a safe journey to and from Twerton Park.

I want to apologise from myself, staff and players for the result and more importantly the unacceptable performance Saturday v Peterborough Sports. I will never accuse my players of lack of effort or desire but we never looked to the pace of the game and likely to get back into it. It’s so hard to put a finger on why??

I can use the extended Covid break again and not being able to train? Key players missing having only one striker available and no full backs in the squad? But the bottom line is there was enough on the pitch to go and play better and show what a Bath City team is all about.

It’s no good for us to feel sorry for ourselves, we have to pick ourselves up and keep believing in what we have done for the last few seasons. Players are and should be accountable, we prepare them the best we can and now some need to show strong character in trying to regain some form.

I am hoping we have one new addition in the squad tonight, as I write these notes in the office on Monday morning we are close to sealing the deal. We are bringing the lads in tonight (Monday) to count the bodies and do some shape work as several injuries were picked up Saturday.

We are now coming into another busy period of games and its crucial we start to pick up some points. We all want the same thing as players, staff and supporters. It’s KEY we get support through not only the good times (which have been a lot over the last few seasons) but the tough, challenging, extraordinary times we are facing now.

Games don’t come much tougher than Havant who have assembled another strong squad this season. We will face a physical encounter and this is something we have to consider in team selection along with the fact the pitch isn’t at the moment conducive to football between the lines and building with such a style of play.

A lot is said about plan A and plan B but in any given game you have to adapt accordingly, we again have done that
so well in recent seasons. Players with football intelligence do it naturally after all the time we spend on the training ground working on tactical patterns with and without the ball.

Make no bones about it we have been very limited in contact time with the players due to isolation periods and due to Covid constraints very little time in analysis rooms are allowed. This is the best tool for learning, by watching games back. Players are doing this remotely more than in our usual group sessions.

Thanks for all your continued backing and support, we are working so so hard in tying to turn our fortunes around, keep the faith

“Up The Romans”

JERRY, THE STAFF AND PLAYERS