Doncaster Rovers boss responds to Jon Taylor tweet about player welfare

Taylor posted on Twitter on Thursday after undergoing an operation on his ankle which was originally injured last March.

In the post Taylor wrote: “Just come out of surgery, which is now the 3rd operation I have had in 9 months on the same ankle.

“It’s honestly been the biggest test so far in my life.

“I’ve got so much anger and frustration inside but I finally have a path in which I can use these emotions in a positive way.

“There’s plenty more players who have and are going through what I have gone through.

“Injuries are part and parcel of football so it has nothing to do with the injury but player welfare should always be a priority.

“We are human beings first and foremost and no one knows out body’s [sic] like ourselves.”

The post prompted many on social media to criticise the club’s medical department, with Taylor having twice returned from injury this season only to break down immediately afterwards.

Manager McSheffrey insisted he would need to speak with Taylor to gauge the meaning behind the tweet and look at how any concerns could be addressed.

But he also said he had not encountered issues himself during his time at the club.

“Basic human rights, he’s entitled to what he wants to say,” McSheffrey said.

“But I would say as a club as long as I’ve worked here, I’ve always felt I’ve been treated the right way.

“I had injuries previously at this club and was always respected when I wanted to go and see the people I wanted to go and see.

“I put trust in the physios and coaches that I worked with.

“We’ll have a chat with Jon. I know he’s got a strong mentality and a strong opinion.

“We’ll reassure him that his welfare is the most important thing to us.”

When asked if he was happy with the work of physio Jonathan Chatfield, McSheffrey said he feels he has been overworked at times this season due to the lengthy injury list at the club.

And McSheffrey believes the appointment of an additional physio - whom the club are currently recruiting - will be a major bonus.

“He’s been on his own and the workload has been heavy for him,” McSheffrey said.

“There’s no secret that at one stage there was 13 or 14 injuries and to have to try to stagger them and give them his full attention daily is difficult.

“Ultimately, some of the boys have been out for too long and with the recurrences, things maybe could have been done differently.

“But I don’t know the details of them too much. There’s a lot going on and a lot I have to focus on and I can only control what I can control.

“That is how I shape up the team to win games of football.

“The other stuff, I’ll let people who are paid in their roles in this club deal with them.”

McSheffrey insisted player welfare is high on his agenda as manager but also commented that individuals are rarely likely to be 100 per cent fit when stepping onto the pitch.

He said: “I went through 560 career games and out of that I was probably 100 per cent fit in about 50 of them.

“As a player, you grind through things. If it’s a really serious injury you do your time and your rehab.

“There will not be many players playing for me this weekend that are absolutely 100 per cent fit. It’s your pain threshold and what you can deal with.

“Ultimately, player welfare is my priority and I think I showed that the first day I came into the role where straight away Omar Bogle and Ed Williams were back training with the group because they’re human beings first and foremost.

“Whatever has gone on before my time here, I can’t control. All I can control is what happens in the future.

“From now on, the structure and the staff and the welfare of the players will be number one priority.

“I’m in constant dialogue with the injured players, making sure I can help them in any way I can, in sending them to see the right people.

“There’s probably things that could have been done different in the past. Were they sent to the right people? I don’t know, I didn’t know the history of the injuries.”

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In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Liam Hoden, editor.