Bradford City boss Michael Duff's message to former Charlton Athletic defender Macaulay Gillesphey
BRADFORD City manager Michael Duff has praised the attitude and maturity of defender Macaulay Gillesphey after finding himself out of the Bantams’ starting line-up at league level this autumn.
The summer signing, who arrived from Championship outfit Charlton Athletic, has been a substitute for the past seven League One matches, with loanee George Pratt having impressed on the left-hand side of City’s back three.
Gillesphey came on in the final minutes of last weekend’s victory over Stevenage – his first league appearance in almost a month – but was an unused replacement again in Tuesday’s draw at Burton Albion.
The 30-year-old’s last league start was on September 1.
Duff, whose side – unbeaten in three league matches under his watch – visit Oxford United on Saturday, said: "He's an experienced player and a very good player. But he's watching the same game as everyone else.
"So, to come knocking on the door going, ‘I think I should be on the team because he's been rubbish.’ I'd just say, ‘Macaulay, get out the door.’
"But he hasn't. I've had conversations with him.
"Sometimes players think you're almost trying to take the mick out of them by putting them on for the last two or three minutes.
"But it's important. Every minute is valuable just like every point.
"He’s trained like an animal this with some of the defensive stuff that we've done.
"Unfortunately, sometimes you come out of the team through no fault of your own or whatever and someone takes that opportunity.
"Then you have to sit and wait. Well, you sit and wait or you work.
"Everyone knows what he is with his profile and his career. He’s a left-footed centre-half who is very, very good on the ball.
"So, it isn't a case of we've got to wait for Pratty to get injured. Or we've got to wait until we concede four goals and then he's straight back in.
"It might be when we take Pratty out early to rest him. He’s a young player with a run of games.
"It might be an injury or a tactical switch. But it’s having the ability to go, ‘well, we can take one out and put one in.’
"It’s like the front three or four. Change the front four and I don't think the quality drops at all.
"Swanny (Will Swan) came in at Burton and did really well. It wasn't a noticeable change in terms of you're completely reinventing it.
"That’s the depth of the squad. There's 22 training most days and pretty much all of them are considered first-team players."