It’s been a whirlwind week at Doncaster Rovers, Rob Jones and Brian Flynn have taken over first team duties and Rovers Player caught up with the Rovers skipper for his view on the past few days.
Alongside Brian Flynn, Rob has taken charge of first team affairs and admitted it was a boost when he was asked to do so by Chairman John Ryan.
“When the talks between the manager and his new club first go ahead you expect it to happen,” he said
“I got the phone call from the chairman late on Sunday to ask me to do what I am doing at the moment – things look after themselves really you just guide it along because everybody knows their job and know what to do.
“It’s not as if it’s a new team and it’s the beginning of the season – we’ve played half a season and the players know exactly what’s going on – it’s a case of looking after it rather than changing it.
“I’m delighted, first and foremost it’s a boost to yourself when the Chairman asks you to do something of this magnitude, it shows that you have a lot of respect from within the football club.
“It’s what I want to do when I finish playing; it gives me an early insight of what it entails to become a manager.
“I’ve learnt an awful lot this past week which is good for me and I am enjoying it; the boys are enjoying it too –there’s a bit of banter flying around as you would expect but it’s all in very good humour.”
The experience that Brian Flynn possesses is something Rob believes can help him as well as the club.
“Brian has been in football for 27 years. That sort of experience is vital to any young manager in the making, which is what I am, so I can learn an awful lot off of Brian.
“He’s come in and taken training, he’s guiding me to some extent as well the rest of the players, along the path we want to go in.”
Chairman John Ryan addressed the players on Tuesday morning and the message was ‘keep going’.
“The Chairman told us to keep going, we’re sat joint top of the league on points, and the season has gone fantastic so far.
“We’re in a better position than we expected to be so far so it’s a case of continuing the way we have been; little tweaks here and there, but keep going in the same vein – just because the manager has left it doesn’t mean the mentality should and as long as Brian and I keep that going we should be fine.”
Although Rob has the extra responsibility now, he is still determined to continue playing and admitted that he was relishing the opportunity he has.
“There’s still miles left in my legs so each and every game I can play, I want to play. It’s a strange scenario to find yourself in but it’s one I’m relishing.”
Rovers have the chance to break a club record this weekend, for the number of consecutive away league games unbeaten, and Jones believes it would be a massive achievement for the team.
“It’s massive, not only for breaking a record but for season as a whole. It would be an achievement the lads will be proud of and will help in what we are trying to achieve.
“We’ve been great away from home; let’s hope we can continue that. The home form is now coming for the run in so it’s up to us now to try and accumulate as many points as we can in the final 20 games and see where that leads us.”