Paul Warne post Norwich City...
After a hard-fought but deserved victory over Norwich City, Interim Manager Paul Warne gave his thoughts on the 2-1 triumph.
“The lads are happy in the changing rooms,” he said. “We’ve gone on all week about how we’re going to play and how we’re going to upset them.
“It feels like everything we did was right. On another day they might have got the equaliser but, potentially, we could have got one or two more in the second half. The lads kept going against a quality side like that. I’m a very proud man.”
Warne reserved particular praise for young striker Jerry Yates – scorer of the opening goal in a man-of-the-match display.
“I don’t know how much more he can give,” beamed Warne.
“He gives everything he’s got. I think the fashion from footballers these days is that you don’t have to run round.
“The fact that he went out there and ran around the way he did. He gets a bit of luck, he scores a goal. I thought he was outstanding. He’s not playing against idiots, he’s playing against really good, class centre-halves.
“We had a meeting before the game and told him we all trust him. There was no pressure.
“I thought he was outstanding and I was really proud of him.”
The Millers led at the break following Yates’ seventh-minute opener before Norwich’s Nelson Oliveira saw red for an incident with Kirk Broadfoot.
“If I’m honest I was devastated he got sent off," admitted Warne. "I thought when he came off they’d all be giving that extra ten percent energy and aggression.
“That’s not what I wanted. I thought it would be harder against ten men than eleven. I wasn’t banging the drum saying ‘get him off’.”
Norwich were only level for four minutes in the second half. Tom Adeyemi’s 55th-minute header restored the Millers’ lead after Cameron Jerome had pegged the hosts back.
“It’s only one game,” Warne added. “Winning football matches is a beautiful feeling. Even the Burton game a couple of weeks ago I think we deserved to win that and that would have given us a bit of momentum.
“I just think we’re in a little bit of a transition stage at the Club. Everyone’s working really, really hard to try and improve this squad.
“I think when you get a win, people and fans might believe in what we’re doing a little bit more. Winning today might get us a little bit more respect.
“It’s great for the lads. They’re coming in every day and they’re not moaners.
“I want good, hardworking people who want the best for everyone.”
Warne confirmed forward Danny Ward missed today’s game due to a back injury, whilst fellow front-man Dexter Blackstock was struggling with a hamstring strain.
“He had a back injury today,” said Warne of Ward. “He sent in a video message beforehand - which I showed the lads in a team meeting – wishing us all the best.
“He (Dexter) had a tight hamstring. When he came off last week he said his hamstring was tight.
“He’ll be back in training Thursday.”