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Gillingham manager Neil Harris has called for more leaders from within his squad ahead of a make or break week.
With captain Stuart O’Keefe struggling with an injury of late, Harris wants to see others stepping up to help, on and off the pitch. The Gills need a positive result against Rotherham United on Saturday in their final game to stand any chance of avoiding relegation.
Speaking after the 3-1 weekend loss to Portsmouth, Harris said: “It can’t be me that keeps coming in and picking them up. I can’t be the one to keep galvanising them individually and collectively, I can’t keep using propaganda.”
Heading into the weekend just gone, Harris reminded the players that their form since he arrived as manager was that of a mid-table team.
But he said: “I can’t keep using that, they have to find some leadership from within, they can’t just rely on Stuart O’Keefe the whole time to be the only leader in the group, they have to find it themselves.
“My challenge to them is, find the character within the group, within the changing room themselves, find some belief and confidence going into next week’s game.
“I will come in Monday (today) morning ready to fight, ready to scrap, for my players and my football club and they need to find that as a group as well, that is my challenge to them.
“We stand as a team, and frustrated we are not out of the bottom four, but we still have a chance, believe it or not, and the whole Football League probably can’t believe it, but a chance to stay in the division next week.
“I have challenged them to come in on Monday to show me that fight, hunger and desire because we have got a massive game next week. I will be ready to go.”
Gills captain O'Keefe has been struggling to shake off a calf injury and has meant he’s been substituted at the interval in his last two games. He went off at 2-1 down on Saturday with Daniel Phillips taking his place in midfield.
“He hadn’t trained all week,” said Harris of his captain. “Dan Phillips couldn’t start the game because he hadn’t trained, we are patching up.
“As much as I would have liked to start with Dan and Stu, it wasn’t possible, because neither were going to make 90 minutes, maybe not 60, or even a half. We had to make a sensible decision.
“I thought Dan showed some quality moments when he came on, of what he is about, but it is hard at Fratton Park, when you are chasing a game and you lose the leader of the pack, it is difficult.
“Would we have conceded that third goal with Stuey on the pitch? I am not sure we do. We will see where we are with the medical department, see who is okay and take it a day at a time.”
