'Disrespected' - Blackburn Rovers star's message to critics after play-off miss
Blackburn Rovers captain, Lewis Travis. (Image: CameraSport - Alex Dodd)
Lewis Travis admitted Blackburn Rovers' players were left 'gutted' after falling just short of the Championship play-offs.
The Rovers skipper converted an upset dressing room after the team finished seventh, two points outside the top-six. Had they won at Bramall Lane, they would have usurped Bristol City and set up a two-leg tie with Sheffield United.
Ultimately, Rovers fell short but not for a lack of trying. An honest and reflective Travis admitted it was the run of four wins in 21 that cost them.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
"To be honest, everyone is gutted and really upset," he told RoversTV.
READ MORE: Blackburn Rovers contract talks: Formal offers, timeframes and rival interest
"We were right there and maybe we could have nicked one at the end and we would've got in. Everyone can hold their heads up high, they left everything on the pitch.
"We have been in good form coming into the game. It's gutting because of how hard we have worked this season.
"It's football. It wasn't just this game, it was the bad run we had as well. It probably comes down to that, to be honest.
"Coming so close makes it worse and we were 1-0 up. The goal we conceded was soft and it wasn't like us. Everyone has given their all this season but we are all gutted."
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
Despite the frustration, there has been tangible progress made. Rovers needed to win at Leicester City on the final day last year just to secure their status as a Championship club.
Whilst that doesn't ease the frustration of this term, Travis believes a seven-place finish has proven some of their doubters wrong.
"The club wasn't in a fantastic place at the end of last season, although I wasn't here for it," he admitted.
"We've finished two points off the play-offs. We want to build on that next season. We were tipped to go down this year, which we were disrespected by. We have shown what we can do.
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
"I think we have proven some people wrong, a never-say-die attitude. It's been tough in some parts, changing managers. Everyone has come out the other side of that bad run but that has cost us.
"The fans haven't been happy at times. On a personal note, they have always been behind me and the players. I am forever grateful for that.
"They want to see the lads in the Premier League and we want to be there. It's a massive club and we deserve to be in there. We will try and make that happen.
"We will take some time to rest and recover, spend time with our families and be ready for pre-season."
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
For Travis personally, it's been a good season. He has been a mainstay in the team and one of the best performers, having finished last term earning promotion at Ipswich Town.
"Coming into this year, I felt like I'd been written off but I've reminded people that I'm still here," he added.
"I want to be one of the main people in the team and push the club forward. I love this club.
"Overall, it's been a positive season for me but I am gutted we couldn't get in the play-offs."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Richard Hughes has just pulled off the IMPOSSIBLE swap deal
It looks like Liverpool have agreed to sell Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen. The 22-year-old centre-back found first-team minutes hard to come by under Arne Slot in the Premier League last season. Quansah featured for around 400 minutes in the top flight - making only four starts - having been dislodged from the lineup by Ibrahima Konate at half-time on matchday one. Advertisement Given his homegrown status and long-term contract, Quansah is a potential money-maker in the summer transfer window. Liverpool would be permitted to book the entire fee for the England under-21 international as profit. That in turn would help with PSR obligations as well as giving Richard Hughes more money to play with. Leverkusen are going to pay £30m plus bonuses for Quansah, with the German club requiring a long-term replacement for Jonathan Tah. Liverpool will earn £30m + on Quansah This should be viewed as a MASSIVE transfer win for Hughes - especially in the context of incoming deals. Jeremie Frimpong - for example - was acquired from Leverkusen when the Reds activated his £29.5m release clause. Advertisement And if anyone told you at the start of the summer that Liverpool would sign Frimpong in exchange for Quansah - with Leverkusen even adding a bit more on in bonuses - the deal would have been seen as far-fetched. But that is what is about to happen. Quansah is somewhat of a late bloomer and was playing League One football as recently as 2023. He's had two seasons in and around the Liverpool first team since being promoted by Jurgen Klopp. But in the cold light of day he is always likely to be third or fourth choice. © IMAGO Liverpool's sensational deal for Frimpong He has been at the club since the age of five, turning out for various youth teams before turning professional. Hughes has turned a player of that background into a deal worth £30m and more. Advertisement It is a huge bonus for the Reds. It means they are getting Frimpong for practically nothing. The Dutchman is 24 and a veteran of almost 200 top-level games with Leverkusen - named twice in the Bundesliga team of the season. He's a full international for the Netherlands - travelling to both the World Cup and European Championship as a squad member.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Wirtz wants to 'win everything' for Liverpool after record move
Florian Wirtz (right) inspired Leverkusen to a German league and cup double in 2023/24 (Roberto Pfeil) Florian Wirtz said he wants to win it all at Liverpool after completing a blockbuster move from Bayer Leverkusen on Friday, which could reportedly rise to a Premier League record fee. Reports in England said the Premier League champions will pay an initial £100 million ($134 million) for Wirtz, comfortably surpassing their own record outlay, with a further £16 million in performance-related add-ons making it a British record deal. Advertisement However, German media suggested the fee could be even higher, starting at 130 million euros (£111 million, $149 million) with add-ons taking it to 150 million euros. One of European football's elite young stars, Wirtz has been hailed as one of the "best in the world" by former Leverkusen coach and ex-Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, who is the new boss of Real Madrid. "I would like to win everything every year!" Wirtz told the club's website. "In the end, we want to be successful. Last season they won the Premier League so my goal is for sure to win it again and also to go further in the Champions League. I'm really ambitious." Advertisement The 22-year-old played a crucial role in Leverkusen's greatest season as they claimed a first-ever Bundesliga title and the German Cup in 2023/24 without losing a single game under Alonso. Their only defeat that season, during which Wirtz was crowned Bundesliga player of the year, came in the Europa League final to Atalanta, denying Leverkusen a memorable treble. Bayern Munich restored their grip on the German game last season, with Leverkusen a distant second, and Wirtz is joining an exodus from the BayArena. Netherlands defender Jeremie Frimpong has already made the move from Leverkusen to Liverpool last month. Advertisement - 'New adventure' - "I'm really excited to have a new adventure in front of me," added Wirtz, who turned down the option of joining Bayern for the move to England. "This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League." After largely keeping their powder dry in the transfer market during Arne Slot's first season in charge, the Reds are splashing out to strengthen a side that romped to a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title. Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is poised to make the move to Anfield in a £40 million deal. Advertisement Liverpool have also been linked with Newcastle striker Alexander Isak and Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi. Where Wirtz's fits into Slot's plans remains to be seen. He largely played behind a central striker at Leverkusen and has operated from a wider role for Germany. A return of 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 games for Leverkusen is evidence that he carries a threat both as a creator and a goalscorer. "The people say I'm a creative player, and I hope I can bring this creativity to the team and also the joy on the pitch," said Wirtz. "I try to make assists, goals and run for the team to defend. I hope I can just make the team one step better." Advertisement Liverpool are already blessed with an abundance of forward options, with Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo all offering a goal threat. However, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Federico Chiesa now face even stiffer competition to get into Slot's starting line-up, raising the prospect of Liverpool selling some of that trio to free up further transfer resources. kca/smg/ea
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Who is Florian Wirtz, the $156 million man joining Liverpool?
Premier League champion Liverpool has announced the arrival of German midfielder Florian Wirtz – a statement signing in this summer transfer window. Wirtz joins Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth up to £116.5 million (around $156 million), according to multiple UK media reports, and will only strengthen Arne Slot's title-winning side heading into next season. Advertisement It makes Wirtz the most expensive player in British soccer, his reported price tag potentially exceeding the £115 million ($146 million) that Chelsea paid for Ecuadorian midfielder Moisés Caicedo. 'I'm really excited to have a new adventure in front of me,' Wirtz told 'This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League. 'I will see how I can perform there. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also with some players who played there and they told me that it's perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I'm really looking forward to playing my first game.' Advertisement At the age of 22, Wirtz has already made a hugely impressive start to his career with club and country. After joining the Bayer Leverkusen youth setup, he was soon elevated to the first team aged 17 years and 15 days, becoming the club's then-youngest player to feature in the Bundesliga. More records would follow, with Wirtz becoming the league's youngest goalscorer when he netted in a defeat against Bayern Munich in 2020, a record that has since been passed by Borussia Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko. A torn ACL three years ago halted the playmaker's progress and put him out of action for 10 months, but Wirtz bided his time on the sidelines and went on to play a starring role in Leverkusen's astonishing 2023-24 season, winning the German Cup and a first-ever league title. Only a defeat against Atalanta in the Europa League final denied Leverkusen a famous treble, putting an end to a 51-game unbeaten run. Advertisement Wirtz had 18 goals and 20 assists in all competitions that season, then went on to notch 16 goals – six of which came in the Champions League – and 15 assists in 45 games last year. In that time, the midfielder established himself as one of the most sought-after players in Europe. Understandably, Wirtz has been heaped with praise. Barcelona and former German national team manager Hansi Flick called him 'the full package,' while former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes went as far as to label him 'probably the best midfielder in the world.' Wirtz dribbles during the recent Nations League match between Germany and France. -Already an established member of the German national team, Wirtz missed out on playing at the 2022 World Cup because of his ACL injury, but did take part in all five of his country's games at last year's European Championships. Advertisement Together with Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala, he looks destined to be at the heart of Germany's attack for years to come. 'Florian is a more direct player (than Musiala), a strategic playmaker,' said former Germany coach Joachim Löw. 'He constantly has his head up, always looking for his teammates, and has the vision to play that decisive final pass.' At Liverpool, Wirtz will be part of a talented midfield featuring Alexis Mac Allister – a World Cup winner with Argentina – Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, as well as linking up with former Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong, who the Reds also signed last month. On top of prolific goalscorer Mohamed Salah signing a new contract with the club at the end of last season, Wirtz's arrival gives Slot an array of attacking options next season. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at
