Richie Wellens will 'cut his nose off to spite his face' chasing long term vision for Doncaster Rovers

Wellens referred to his decision not to include Omar Bogle in the squad to face Stoke City on Tuesday despite the injury-enforced absence of Tiago Cukur. The only striker in the squad on the night was 16-year-old Ethan Harrison, who was handed his debut off the bench.

Bogle has been given permission to speak to other clubs as Wellens seeks to get him off the wage bill but has so far rejected opportunities to leave the Keepmoat.

And the Rovers boss has hinted he will continue to leave the 29-year-old on the sidelines as he presses on with his plans for his squad, even if it would see him short in certain areas.

“My remit at this club is to get an identity back,” Wellens said.

“I looked at a team on Tuesday that was well-coached and with a clear identity over what they have been told to do.

“I will continue to make decisions for the long term benefit of this club because my plan is to be here long term.

“I can make decisions that in the short term might be better for me. And sometimes I’m cutting my nose off to spite my face, and I get that.

“But I make long term decisions for the benefit of the club, to get its identity back and bring us long term, sustainable success.

“I thought we did on Tuesday.

“I absolutely hate losing but there were some really good performances from young lads that can take confidence from it and if we need them in a league game they’ve had that exposure to a big ground and they’ll not be chucked in blind.”

Wellens shut down direct questioning over Bogle’s future and insists he wants to focus on the positives that he is in control of at the club.

“I’m tired of answering questions about it,” he said.

“I’ve given him permission to speak to another club and he has permission for that for the rest of the transfer window.

“I don’t want to be having a conversation about it every other day.

“What I want is for this club to be positive.

“The supporters saw the young players on Tuesday night put in a great performance - that’s a positive.

“Every time we speak about something to do with that, it turns into a negative.

“I’ll reiterate where I’m at - if everyone is fit at this football club and we can get out the ones we have told to leave and we can get two players in to replace them, I am happy as Larry.

“We didn’t foresee that we would get the injuries to the players we have and now Tom Anderson and Cameron John have been added to that.

“But I’m comfortable because I know where we are now and where I want us to be.”

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