Matt Taylor: New manager 'excited' by what could be achieved at Bristol Rovers
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Matt Taylor has been appointed at Bristol Rovers three weeks after leaving Championship side Rotherham United
New Bristol Rovers manager Matt Taylor said his excitement about the potential growth at the League One club is why he took the job.
The 42-year-old was unveiled on Friday, 36 days after former manager Joey Barton was sacked.
Taylor had previously managed Exeter City and Rotherham United, and was sacked by the Millers in November.
"We certainly felt excited about what potentially we could achieve here," Taylor told BBC Radio Bristol.
"The size of the club, the history, the supporters, the squad that was a big one in terms of where I see them within this season in terms of this league now.
"Working at Championship level I've not had much time or opportunity to see much League One football, but I've got an affiliation with a few members of the squad. My teams have played against enough of them to know they're good players."
Taylor takes over with the club 11th in the table, eight points above the bottom four and nine points from the play-off places.
Rovers were promoted back to the third tier in 2022 and last played in a higher division during the 1992-93 season.
During Taylor's time at Exeter he led them to promotion from League One and also captained the Grecians from non-league to the third tier during his playing career.
"Where we are in the league at the moment is literally in the middle of the table, but there is a feeling that we can hopefully get a little bit more out of them and start producing winning football, as opposed to good-looking football some of the time but not getting the end result out of it," Taylor said.
"Then you add that on top of what is the beast which is Bristol Rovers.
"Without talking at length about the neighbours [Bristol City] they've shown what is achievable of football clubs in Bristol and traditionally, historically, Bristol Rovers is as big a club as you get in this city."
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Taylor took training with the club for the first time on Friday, however his first match at the helm - their FA Cup second-round tie away to Crewe Alexandra - has been postponed due to a frozen pitch.
Bristol Rovers' next game is Tuesday, 5 December away to Crawley Town in the EFL Trophy.
In the past five weeks under interim manager Andy Mangan, Rovers have lost only once in seven games, and in terms of improvements that can be made, Taylor said there's "not too much wrong" from what he had observed.
"More goals is needed, I think that's a fair assessment, and when taking the job and looking at the squad you'd say there's goals there - somewhere.
"Trying to find the balance with how that is and the route to goal, and closing the space off in certain moments whenever you want less space on the pitch.
"Understanding of what works at the right times and then getting the best out of individual players. There's a reason why I took this job and that group of players is one of the main ones.
'A bigger, sustainable Championship club'
Rovers were taken over by a new majority investor this summer and the new co-owner - Kuwaiti businessman Hussain AlSaeed - has already spoken about plans to redevelop the Memorial Stadium to increase its capacity.
Promotion to the Championship has long been the main aim and Taylor said League One was "open" enough this season that there was still time for the club to challenge for the top six.
"That's a level I feel the club are capable of being at and the owners have certainly got a vision of maintaining that as well," Taylor added.
"Bristol Rovers could become a bigger club and a sustainable Championship club."