Doncaster Rovers: How Grant McCann's superstitions have gone into overdrive for FA Cup trip to Charlton

When Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann recently changed his touchline tracksuit for more formal attire '“ to good effect '“ he revealed his superstitious character.Â
Grant McCannGrant McCann
Grant McCann

And those tendencies have gone into overdrive ahead of a difficult-looking trip to Charlton Athletic in the second round of the FA Cup.

McCann's men lost 2-0 at The Valley in rather insipid fashion just four weeks ago '“ before results picked up again and before the manager's switch of clothing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

'I'm hoping we get there for 1.30pm this time and the traffic isn't as bad as last time!' said McCann.

'We've changed a few things around.

'We're going to go down on the morning of the game and we're going to train at Stevenage.

'We've changed the hotel [for the pre-match meeting].

'I'm doing every little thing we didn't do last time so maybe that'll give us a little bit of a psychological edge.'

The luck of the FA Cup draw has been kind to McCann during his short managerial career and, fingers crossed, Rovers might tap into that should they make it into the hat for the third round.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

'I've had some good times in this competition as a manager,' he said.

'We had a trip to Chelsea in the third round in my first year at Peterborough. We then beat Aston Villa on their own patch in the third round last season and then played Leicester on the television in the fourth round.

'I know how important it is for the football club to get some money in. I want to make sure we give a good account our themselves down there and see if we can get into the next round, and then the big teams come in.'

Reflecting on the recent defeat to the Addicks, he said: 'We know that day we weren't good enough and there were some choice words said after that game.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

'The players realised after that game that there isn't going to be any messing around this year.

'We need to go there and make sure we prove a point to ourselves really '“ to nobody else '“ that we can perform better than that.

'We have done over the last four or five games.

'We've turned the results around a bit and we want to try and continue that.'

 

 

 

Â