Matt Hamshaw talks to www.themillers.co.uk...
Rotherham United interim assistant Matt Hamshaw says his side need to embrace the challenge of taking on one of the second tier’s top clubs, as they meet with Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night.The Millers coach believes his side should be relishing pitting their wits against one of the Sky Bet Championship’s in-form teams, but has warned that they will have to be quick out of the blocks at AESSEAL New York Stadium if they are to triumph over the Terriers.
“We have to embrace it. This is a difficult game for them and we'll hopefully have a game plan but hopefully one that can work,” Hamshaw told www.themillers.co.uk.
“It's a game that we can look forward to and one that should excite us really if I'm honest. They're on a good run and we've not been on a great run but I think we saw an improvement in that second half.
“We just can't afford to wait as long tomorrow night as we did in Saturday's game to get started.”
The former Notts County and Sheffield Wednesday wide man insists he hasn’t been surprised by the sparkling form of David Wagner’s side this campaign and admits that he doesn’t feel the reaches of the automatic promotion places are out of their reach.
“I remember seeing them here last season and I thought that they were one of the best organised teams that I'd seen,” Hamshaw continued in his pre-match press conference.
“It's been absolutely no surprise to me that they are where they are.
“Obviously, myself and Warney have watched them quite a lot live and they do move the ball quickly and play quite an open game.
“I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the automatic places and whilst everyone is looking at Newcastle and Brighton, the way they are playing, the organisation and the momentum they seem to have will make them a tough opposition for us.”
The Millers are likely to come up against a face all too familiar to the coaching staff at AESSEAL New York Stadium on Tuesday night, with Chelsea loanee Izzy Brown set to return with the Terriers for the first time.
However, Hamshaw admits that whilst they will respect the talents of a player they rate very highly, there will be no love lost until the final whistle sounds on Tuesday night in Rotherham.
“He's a good player, but we might be in his ear to have a bit of a stinker tomorrow!,” he jested.
“He's done well and all credit to him but until after that game, we won't be wishing him well! We hope that come tomorrow night we can say hard lines to him.
“He has got all the talent and honestly could play at any standard that he wants to if his mindset is on it.
“They have good players and we know about Izzy Brown. I'd like to think that we got the best out of him at the back end of his time here and we saw what a good player he was, but he's just one of a number of good players that they have."