Football It's been more difficult than I expected, admits Calderon

NIGO Calderon admitted his tenure at Bristol Rovers has proven to be "more difficult" than he expected when he took on the job in late December, with the season ending in relegation to League Two.

- Dan HARGRAVES

The Rovers head coach was appointed as Matt Taylor's successor on Boxing Day, having joined from Brighton and Hove Albion where he had been manager of the Seagulls' Under-18s.

This has been the Spaniard's first job in senior management and the initial signs were largely positive as the Gas won six and drew two of his first 15 league games in charge, which took Rovers to a comfortable position of being nine points clear of the relegation zone with 10 matches remaining. However, a disastrous run of one point in nine games has seen the Pirates plummet with relegation now sealed.

Asked how the job has compared with what he expected at the start, Calderon told the Bristol Post: "I think I found more difficulties than I expected. I think I found more difficulties than I will ever expect or have in the future in terms of injuries, the transfer window; there's so many things. Even the group itself with the mood they were. So, a lot of things that, 'oof, this is going to be tough to find that, you know?