Hill: Bravery is key to survival
ROCHDALE have six games to rescue their season and extend their stay in League One – starting today at play-off chasing Peterborough.
Keith Hill’s men were beaten 4-1 by a classy Wigan outfit on Tuesday, leaving them three points adrift of safety after Oldham’s 1-1 draw against Walsall on Wednesday.
Eighth-placed Peterborough provide tough opposition today but Hill is calling on his players to approach the remaining fixtures with a brave mindset.
“There are really important games coming up and we have got to be brave,” he said.
“The players have got to be brave and I am sure we will take on the teams that we have got coming up.
“On Tuesday we were beaten by a good side and there’s no shame in that.
“The players were down because they want to win games and their attitude was to try to win the game. We just allowed Wigan to sit in position and pick us off because we were urgent, there was that burning ambition to get something from the game but professional pride and discipline in position should kick in. Goal difference could be just one point come the end of the season and we are still at an advantage with our goal difference, so I think the goal we scored is important going into the final six games.
“We’ve got good games coming up against teams who are trying to get into the play-offs and two teams – Oldham and Oxford – who are still potentially looking for points to survive themselves.”
Having witnessed Wigan stamp their authority with three goals in eight second half minutes to pull clear of plucky Dale, Hill reckons the division is only going to get tougher in the coming seasons.
“League One is going to get worse for teams like Rochdale, Walsall, AFC Wimbledon, teams who don’t have money, to try to survive in League One. We haven’t got that kind of money,” he said.
“We talk about teams coming down from the Championship, but look at the sides coming up, the likes of Luton. I think John Coleman at Accrington Stanley has done a marvellous job, absolutely marvellous but Accrington will have to invest when they get promoted.
“Look at this year’s promoted sides from League Two – they are all big spenders and they can’t deny it. Some teams try to deny it – Plymouth try to deny it – but they are spending money.
“I know the league, I know who is spending what and I know where we are in the spending league. It’s very difficult and it’s only going to get worse with the teams coming down and those getting promoted.
“You look at the spend power of Plymouth, Doncaster, Portsmouth, Blackpool – they are all big clubs, potentially Premier League clubs. But it’s a fight we want to be in, we want to be in League One next season fighting the teams that come down and teams that come up. We still have six games to prove we can do it.”
‘I am sure we will take on the teams that we have got coming up’