As Gillingham head to Stadium:mk on Saturday lunchtime to face the MK Dons without boss Gareth Ainsworth, KSN has been talking to midfielder Ethan Coleman ahead of the weekend. 

Speaking to us at this week’s briefing, Coleman told us, “It’s been a different week,” he admitted. “With the Gaffer going off for his operation and of course as a team we wish him all the best!” 

“It’s going to be different for sure, but Dobbo (assistant manager Richard Dobson) has taken charge before and knows what he is doing.”

“We have to make sure that we push on which I am sure is what the Gaffer would want us to do, do well and try to win the game! We know that we have a job to do – we want to go there and implement our style of play and win the game!” 

“He came and saw us on Monday and Tuesday and we were able to go through our “normal” stuff and Thursday was the first day with “just” Dobbo – we’ve done our bit and will go on from there!” 

“We were told about the Gaffer having an operation after the weekend. It came as a shock, but it is what you have to deal with in football sometimes.”

“You get dealt curveballs as players and this is definitely one of them – we have to react as a team and yes it will be different, but I think we have it in our control and have done well to push on.”

“The Gaffer just wants us to carry on what we have been doing – there were no big different messages – keep it the same; we have a good back-room staff, and we’ll keep going the same way!” 

“Dobbo is very good to work with – he’s very calm! He knows what he is talking about and is very clever with the way that he says things and helps us as a team to push on.”

“Tactically he has very good nouse as well as he communicates things in a controlled manner and is very helpful. Gareth is different to that – loud and positives and this, that and the other, whilst Dobbo comes across a lot calmer.”

“I think the team talk before kick-off will be similar to what it’s been before and probably exactly the same to previous away games and hopefully the result will be the same too!” 

The Gills could be backed by as many as fifteen hundred travelling fans and Coleman praised the backing. “We are always backed when we travel!” he said, “They are always great, and the boys really want to get back on track after losing to Harrogate last weekend.”

“We want to get that bounce-back-ability and get that consistent run of form which we previously had push on to go on another long run.” 

“Last Saturday did hurt a lot especially at home as well – we didn’t want to end the streak, it was disappointing. We gave it one hundred percent, especially in the second half when we battered them, but we just couldn’t get that goal which we have been able to do in this spell – we have been able to get the final goal whether it be the winner or the equaliser but we must move on now to Saturday and the next game!”