Inigo Calderon influence on 24-year-old can provide spark to save Bristol Rovers | OneFootball

Bristol Rovers manager had an instant impact on Ruel Sotiriou

He’s been one of Bristol Rovers' most effective players since the appointment of head coach Iñigo Calderón, and with the West Country outfit now teetering on the brink of relegation, Cyprus international Ruel Sotiriou will be crucial to giving Gasheads a glimmer of hope that the club can once again defy the odds in League One.

Sotiriou signed for Bristol Rovers at the start of the season from current League One play-off chasers Leyton Orient for an undisclosed fee. He was due to be out of contract last summer but, according to the O's, a fee was agreed between the two clubs to avoid the need for a Professional Football Compensation Committee hearing.

He’s been a key player for the Gas since the turn of the year especially, having scored five of his six league goals since Christmas, compared to just once pre-Christmas. Sotiriou is currently Bristol Rovers' top scorer - one ahead of Chris Martin. The young forward has demonstrated his importance to the Bristol Rovers attack, constantly looking like a threat. He currently ranks third among his Bristol Rovers teammates for chances created, with only Isaac Hutchinson (2nd) and Luke Thomas (1st) ahead, and sits fourth for big chances created according to fotmob.com.

Ruel Sotiriou blames Matt Taylor for underperforming amid an unsettled start at Bristol Rovers

Straight from the outset this season, you could see that the Cypriot would be a handful for defenders. He was always on the move and any time he received the ball you could sense he might do something special. But like many of this season's squad, he’s had an inconsistent campaign and drastically underperformed.

Some of the reasons behind his own inconsistency Sotiriou recently attributed to an unsettled start at The Mem. He recently told of his frustrations with the previous manager, Matt Taylor, and not being used to his most effective nor having his concerns listened to. When asked by Bristol Live what contributed to his change in form, the former Leyton Orient youngster said of the impact the new manager has had on him, saying: "It's just manager change. Him [Calderon] putting confidence into the team. Him allowing us to be a team and togetherness and just coaching us. Actually doing some shape. It was hard, obviously coming here, being told things and then obviously it was not getting delivered on the pitch and then this new manager comes in, and it's a breath of fresh air.

"I felt like I had a good season [last season]. I want to kick on again. Obviously, it hasn't worked out until recently where the fans and the club have seen what I can actually do. I always believed in my ability. It's not that. It's more of the confidence side and just going week in, week out and getting consistency.

"It felt like I wasn't being used to my best advantages on the pitch and when you question things and then it gets immediately shut down, you just fall back a bit as a player."

A dramatic collapse for Bristol Rovers in the relegation zone for the first time

Last season, Sotiriou finished as the O's top scorer with 11 goals, ahead of Shaq Forde on nine, who would join him in leaving Brisbane Road for BS7.

In a dramatic turn of events, the Gas found themselves ending the day in the relegation zone for the first time this season following their defeat to Exeter City last weekend – having been nine points clear of the drop zone only a month ago. The club will now have to rely on Mansfield losing momentum from their remarkable late surge to survival, if Rovers are to stand any chance of salvaging their League One status.

And that Calderon spark Sotiriou attributed to his own turnaround in form.

His post-Christmas form has been one of the only things to shout about in 2025 for Rovers, and they need another peak in it over the next four games. After a run of five without a goal, Sotiriou scored in the defeat to Exeter, and if there's one glimmer of hope from that defeat, it's that he can kick on now and put together a run of regular goal contributions.

Wrexham, Stevenage, Reading and Blackpool await in a daunting end to the season where Calderon needs the league table turning on its head. The Cyprus international, and the spark he's provided him, will be key to doing that.