'Totally unacceptable' - Grant McCann lays down the law to Doncaster Rovers players

McCann made four half-time changes as Rovers exited the EFL Trophy following a 1-0 semi-final defeat to Stockport County. Ollie Norwood's early free-kick put the visitors in front and Rovers never truly looked like levelling up as their hopes of reaching a Wembley showpiece went up in smoke. They did at least put in a better showing second half, after a woefully under-par first 45 minutes.

McCann reflected post-match: "Stockport were too good for us in the first half. Way too good for us. They were more physical than us, they picked up more second balls than us, ran more than us and they had more pace in their team than us.

"We told the players to not give any cheap free-kicks away and yet we do. Then, we're not brave enough in the wall. I was delighted to get in at 1-0 because it could have been four or five in the first half with the amount of chances they had. This is the third game in a row where we've done it. On Saturday (against Cardiff), I was thinking about two or three changes. We made three at Rotherham recently and then tonight I've made four. And that's something we need to look at. We need to look at the reason why we're starting the game so slow.

"In the second half we were better and more competitive. Although we lacked a little bit of quality to get that goal and we didn't do enough tonight to get ourselves to the final.

"I think some of the players let themselves down tonight massively. That's something I need to obviously look at and look at moving forward because at this football club, we need people that are willing to run and willing to fight. As well as having that quality,

the basics of football is making sure you do that bit right. And there were too many in the first half that didn't do that."

When pressed further on that by the Free Press, McCann effectively laid the law down to those players deemed to be under-performing.

"It's totally unacceptable," he said. "But, we've got 13 games left and I know exactly what we need to do firstly, to move up this league, and, secondly, to build this club to be a Championship club.

"And to play in my team, yes, you have to be able to handle the ball and play, but you have to train properly and you have to make sure you're doing the basics of football right.

"There's certain people in there I don't think are doing that for us, and for themselves. What happens is, when you leave this football club, unless you're playing regularly here, there's only one way you go, and that's what I reminded them of."

Rovers now focus on league matters with a long trip down to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.