Doncaster Rovers defender Seán Grehan has spoken of his belief that the club's recent difficulties are temporary, insisting the performances will eventually translate into results as the third tier season continues to take shape.
Grehan backs Rovers to turn the corner
Speaking on BBC Radio Sheffield, Grehan was candid about Doncaster's recent run of form, acknowledging the frustration that comes with a run of results that has not reflected the effort being put in on the training ground. Yet the defender, who has also been away on international duty during the September international break, remains firmly optimistic.
"The results will come," Grehan said, in comments that will offer some reassurance to supporters who have watched their side struggle to convert performances into points. "We just have to keep working, keep believing, and it will click."
That kind of mental fortitude matters in League One, where the margins between a mid-table position and a play-off challenge can be decided by a handful of games. Doncaster will be acutely aware that the division does not allow prolonged slumps to go unpunished.
International break offers time to reset
Grehan's time away on international duty during the break will have given him a chance to step back from the pressures of the Rovers' recent run. For defenders in particular, a period away with a national squad can offer a useful reset, both physically and mentally, before the club schedule resumes.
For Doncaster as a whole, the break has arrived at a useful moment. With confidence not at its highest following a run of results that has left the squad searching for consistency, the chance to regroup, reassess and address the issues that have been costing them points is one the coaching staff will have welcomed.
Recent results, including a defeat at Wimbledon that Grant McCann described as "really frustrating" and a setback against Plymouth that prompted the manager to suggest his side did not take their chances, have put Rovers under scrutiny. The underlying question has been whether the performances are good enough to warrant patience, and Grehan, from his vantage point inside the dressing room, believes they are.
Peterborough up next
The focus now turns to Peterborough United, another League One side who arrive at the Eco-Power Stadium with their own ambitions firmly intact. Peterborough have been among the clubs with promotion aspirations this season, making them a stern test for a Doncaster outfit still searching for the consistency that Grehan believes is close.
Fixtures against sides in the upper reaches of the table can, paradoxically, prove liberating for a team carrying a little uncertainty. The pressure of expectation shifts, and Rovers will have the chance to show exactly where they stand in the third-tier pecking order.
For Grehan personally, the match represents an opportunity to demonstrate his own qualities after the international break. Defenders thrive on clean sheets, and back-to-back shutouts would do as much to lift the mood at Doncaster as a goal glut.
The bigger picture for Doncaster
It is still early enough in the League One campaign for Doncaster to shape their season in either direction. The table at this stage is notoriously misleading, with points gaps that look significant on the eye often closing or widening sharply across a busy autumn schedule.
What Grehan's comments offer is a sense of collective resolve inside the squad. When a player speaks publicly about belief in the group rather than deflecting into generalities, it tends to reflect a dressing room that has not fractured under pressure. That is not nothing, particularly for a club that has experienced its share of turbulent periods in recent seasons.
If Doncaster can find their footing against Peterborough and carry some momentum into the weeks that follow, Grehan's confidence may well prove well-founded. The third tier is long enough to recover from a slow start, but the time to start banking points is always now.
Frequently asked
- When is Doncaster vs Peterborough in League One?
- The match is coming up after the September international break. Check the official Doncaster Rovers website for the confirmed kick-off time and date.
- Who is Seán Grehan?
- Seán Grehan is a defender who plays for Doncaster Rovers in League One. He also represents his country at international level and has spoken publicly about his confidence in the squad despite a difficult run of results.
- How are Doncaster Rovers doing in League One this season?
- Doncaster have endured a tricky spell of results, including defeats to Wimbledon and Plymouth, but defender Seán Grehan has expressed belief that the performances will soon translate into points.