Rooney previews Cheltenham cup clash

Three days after Argyle’s season got off to an unwanted start with a heavy defeat in Sheffield, the Greens have their first home game of the season on Wednesday night, against Cheltenham Town in the Carabao Cup.  

It is Wayne Rooney’s first Home Park fixture as the Pilgrims’ boss, but it follows a 4-0 scoreline at Hillsborough that reflects Argyle being second best in South Yorkshire.  

The turnaround is quick for Rooney and his team, but he says that the reaction in training by his scorned players has been encouraging, and he is looking forward to walking out of the Home Park tunnel for the first time in Argyle colours.  

“I've been waiting quite a while now for this moment so yes, I’m excited,” Rooney told Argyle TV. “Especially coming from the game on Sunday, where I think we all know it wasn't good enough. Forget about the result, just in terms of the basics of the game, it wasn’t good enough.  

“There's been some really harsh words to make it clear to the players that it’s not acceptable. I'm hoping for a very good reaction [against Cheltenham].  

“We had a meeting on Monday with the players and it was a tough meeting, which I felt it had to be.  

“The players had to see what we've seen from the side and looking back; it was even worse from my opinion. It was important that the players saw that and we went through exactly what wasn't good. The players got it, they understood it, and in training, the reaction has been fantastic. 

“There's been a lot of energy, determination, getting to the ball, winning tackles in training: exactly what I want to see. Hopefully they can take that into the game.  

“I want the players to go and show the fans what we've been working on all pre-season. I want the players to make the fans optimistic about this coming season - because Sunday didn't show them.  

“There will be changes to the team, for players to come in and show me they deserve to play on Saturday as well.  

“I’m not looking past Cheltenham, though. It's going to be a game which I'm pleased to have because we're going to have to be good at what we were not good at on Sunday, in terms of being aggressive, getting to the ball, second balls, composure on the ball. Everything we didn't do Sunday we'll have to do [against Cheltenham].” 

The draw for the Carabao Cup pitted Argyle against the Robins, against whom Rooney began his domestic pre-season preparations in the Argyle dugout. The Greens won 5-1 on that occasion, just under a month ago, but playing under competitive circumstances against the Sky Bet League Two side, who were relegated last season, will be different.  

Rooney was a three-time winner of the Carabao Cup in his playing days with Manchester United and says that progressing in the tournament with Argyle can only be a good thing.  

He said: “For any fan base, going on a cup run is brilliant and so important. It is an opportunity for us to get through; you might get a really big game here, or away from home. Trying to go on a cup run is important because I think when you do that, it gives the fans something different. It's a release, if you like, from the league as well.  

“We've seen each other a few weeks ago, but it’s a different game, a competitive game now. There's something on the line in this game. We know they're going to come and try to rough us up. They're going to try to play balls in behind, go into the front men early and then pick up second balls.  

“We have to really be at it to win the game. If we are at it, I think we'll be okay but, as I said, this game is one for the players to come in and show me that they want to play - and they deserve to play.”