Taylor: Players have to step up
Gillingham
Interim boss Peter Taylor has challenged his men to rise above the criticism, writes Luke Cawdell. While Gills chairman Paul Scally was the target for many fans last weekend, the players have also been under-fire, after a torrid start to the season. With no goals in their last four League 1 games and just one win all season, the feel-good factor from pre-season is long gone. Taylor said: “They have to step up. We are a young team. Some of them probably would have had this situation before but some of them may not. All of a sudden it is a big test and this football life is not as easy as they thought it was. “They might have been playing in reserve team football and all of a sudden it’s first team football and there are supporters there who are not happy. It is a different experience that they have to handle. (My message) is to stay determined and focused and do your job.” A lack of goals have certainly been a hindrance for the Gills so far. “I had a good meeting with the chairman about that,” Taylor said. “I am not saying to people ‘don’t attack,’ all I am trying to do is have a little bit better shape defensively but then when we have the ball, we should be trying to pass the ball better and also make sure you are available. “It is an easy time not to want the ball but it is the big brave boys that we want at the minute. That is why you need your Gaby Zakuanis around.” Zakuani is back from international duty for the trip to Peterborough this weekend after missing the 1- 0 home defeat against Portsmouth last Sunday but Ben Nugent drops out with injury. The Gills have been missing key men and Taylor is confident that a fully-fit squad is a competitive one. He said: “We have enough numbers but a lot of our players are kids, so we need some experienced players around. We could be a better team by getting everyone fit to play and our strongest squad available.” Taylor does admit he needs the players to show more quality. He said: “The players are playing at 50%. They are not reacting brilliantly to when things go against us. Blackburn, to be fair, second half we kept going and were unlucky not to get a goal. We showed good fitness and good character but I didn’t think we showed the same on Sunday.”
Former Brentford centre-back Keith Millen is the latest name to be linked with the vacant managerial post at Gillingham. Millen, whose only previous managerial job was at Bristol City, is as short as 11/10 with Skybet.