Inigo Calderon reveals stance on Bristol Rovers future following relegation confirmation

Inigo Calderon will take charge of Bristol Rovers’ final game of the season at Blackpool this weekend, but it isn’t clear whether he will remain at the club after relegation to League TwoSport

Daniel Hargraves Bristol Rovers reporter

16:19, 30 Apr 2025

Bristol Rovers head coach Inigo Calderon looks on(Image: Will Cooper/PPAUK)

Inigo Calderon has insisted that he would like to remain as Bristol Rovers head coach in League Two following the club’s relegation, but confessed that the club has to do what it thinks is best for itself ahead of a summer of rebuilding.

Calderon arrived as Matt Taylor’s successor on Boxing Day, signing a two-and-a-half year deal, and registered six wins, two draws and seven defeats within his first 15 league matches in charge which took the Gas to nine points clear of the relegation zone with 10 matches remaining. However, a catastrophic run of just one point in nine games has seen Rovers plummet down the table with relegation officially confirmed on Tuesday night.

There is still one more match remaining for the Pirates before they drop out of League One as they travel to Blackpool on Saturday, coincidentally the same fixture they played on the final day the last time they were relegated. However, the focus of everyone at the club is directed towards what happens after this weekend with their fate now confirmed.

“Yeah, but that’s not something I can control,” Calderon declared in his pre-Blackpool press conference at The Quarters on Wednesday afternoon. “Obviously, I understand there are a lot of rumours and obviously we have to talk about that. The club has to make the decision that is the best for the club. It’s not about me. I always say that the club is more important than Inigo Calderon. So the club has to make the decision.

“Obviously I would like to stay here, especially because I think the business hasn’t been done for me. I feel a big part of that relegation, big time. But it’s true that it’s not up to me. I have to have a conversation with the board and I think they have to make the…it’s not an easy one for them either because they have to make a great decision because obviously next year is going to be massive.

“I would like to be part of that because I don’t like the last memory [being] going down,” he added. “That’s not what I like. I hate losing. Obviously I hate relegations and actually, when you have the chance, to go back at least to the place I was before.

“But listen, I think there are bigger things to talk about. I think the club has to make the right decision.”

This job has been Calderon’s first in senior management, having arrived from Brighton and Hove Albion where he had been manager of the Seagulls’ Under-18s but did come with a promising reputation in coaching.

By mid-March, supporters were largely behind the Spaniard who had just led Rovers to back-to-back home wins over Huddersfield Town and Bolton Wanderers with the main area for improvement being the away form. However, the Gas’ capitulation over the past nine games has seen numerous fans lose faith that the head coach has the experience needed to take the club forward.

Meanwhile, new director of football Ricky Martin will be looking to have his say on affairs having only joined a month ago. However, if Rovers do opt to part ways with Calderon, they would be seeking a fourth permanent boss within 18 months.

It is expected that important decisions, such as whether or not Rovers make a change in the dugout, will be saved for after this weekend once the season is obviously over. Right now though, the Spaniard will lead the Gas at Blackpool unsure of whether it will be his final game in charge.

“Obviously, I would like to know as well because I have my family, I have my kids and they’re asking me because obviously they know how is football and they see how that happens,” Calderon smiled.

“Listen, I am strong enough to take whatever. Hopefully, I would like to stay here, as I said, because I see a lot of good things in this football club. Even after such a bad run, I still feel the support from a lot of the supporters. For me, that’s like I have to give you something back because I feel that I tried to do everything possible I could. I tried to put my life in here but it didn’t work.

“And, to be fair, I think, at the same time, as I say, I haven’t been too long here but I really understand and enjoy the philosophy and the mentality of the fans here. That’s why I’d like to stay here because it is not just about the result because they’re going to support the team wherever they are.

“If they are League Two, they will support the team. If they are in League One, they will support the team and that’s a big, big thing, you know? Because you know that there are fans who just support when they go up, no, no, here the Rovers fans, they’re so loyal and I think they appreciate the effort and the passion. It is the minimum, but at the same time, it’s what I can give about the commitment, the passion and they decide to do things right.

“So I’ve really felt that connection with the fans, so that’s why I think this is a bit of business unfinished with the football club.

“So listen, it’s probably not for me, it’s not now the time to talk about that. We need to reflect a little bit because I don’t think you can make decisions in the heat of the emotions.”

Inigo Calderon reveals stance on Bristol Rovers future following relegation confirmation

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