Doncaster Rovers boss says he's identified which players in his squad don't have the right mentality

Gary McSheffrey believes he has already uncovered which members of his Doncaster Rovers squad do not currently have the right mentality for the relegation fight.
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Rovers crumbled so easily from leading 3-0 to losing 4-3 at survival rivals Morecambe and looked a beaten side even before they had conceded the lead.

McSheffrey says Rovers cannot afford to have anyone not fully committed to the battle ahead and he will seek to rectify any issues in the coming days.

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“It comes down to characters and helping your team mate out, leading by example, desire - they’re non-negotiables that are not tactical or technical,” he told the Free Press.

Gary McSheffreyGary McSheffrey
Gary McSheffrey

“You’ve either been brought up with it or you haven’t. It either hurts you or it doesn’t.

“Some people will probably say things hurt them but your actions speak louder than words.

“In my short spell here we’ve found out about a few individuals already that we feel mentally cannot handle it.

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“We won’t be naming any individuals or hammering anybody. That’s not how I do things.

“We’ll address it and make them a bit physically and mentally stronger.”

McSheffrey is looking to ensure his squad is more robust to setbacks within games - something which has proven to be a downfall throughout the campaign so far.

“We definitely need to be able to, mentally as individuals, handle minor setbacks better,” he said.

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“It’s almost like the body language is like a robot switching off with shoulders forward and heads down. We can’t have that.

“What I did say to them is that there is no hiding place. We don’t hide, we don’t come in and say ‘I’ve got a little knock.’ We have to grind through this and stick together.”

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