Part two of Steve Evans' Gaffer on a Sunday article
As part of our weekly 'Gaffer on a Sunday' feature www.themllers.co.uk have brought you the exclusive views of Steve Evans as he profiles each of his first team squad players.
Over the last few month or so most of the squad have now come under the Gaffer's microscope and this week we again get his views on four members of the squad.
Ian Sharps
The big fella was outstanding last season and deservedly led Shrewsbury Town to promotion whilst at the same time earning himself a place in the npower League Two team of the year.
Back in January I had a £100,000 offer for the lad rejected by Shrewsbury Town boss Graham Turner so to get him in June for no fee was a great piece of business for Rotherham United.
Ian Sharps does exactly what is on the label, he is a no nonsense central defender. He is commanding in the air, is a real competitor and gets those around him organised. This lad takes great pride in defending and was a key signing for us.
Gareth Evans
Evo can be as good as he wants to be and I personally think this could be his season.
This lad has everything in the locker to play at a much higher level but he needs to be more consistent if he is to achieve what he is capable of.
Last season he started exceptionally well but after being out the team with injury he never really got back to the same form. He will have some great competition for a place in the team but at his best he will be in the side, but a notch below and he will be sitting out watching the action.
The right attitude is something I need in a playerand 'Evo' has that. He has moved near Rotherham, thus taking away two hours travelling to training every day and he done that after our chat back in May when I identified that as something I would like to see happen. As I said about this lad, he will be as good as he wants to be.
Lionel Ainsworth
Every good team needs a player with blinding pace who can get past defenders to help create and score goals, this lad is our man for sure.
Many times in the summer I got frustrated in trying to get him to sign but at the same time I had to understand he had a lot of clubs who wanted to talk to him.
Not only is he rapid quick but he can deliver a great ball into the penalty area with the quality he has. He is a real character and already has the dressing room buzzing as the lads are getting to know each other.
This lad will play a big part for us and is sure to be a crowd favourite; he is the type of playerwho gets the supporters and the rest of us on the edge of our seats. He has a great attitude and is a winner, I am pleased he is wearing a Millers shirt and not facing us.
Mark Bradley
'Bradders' is a playerwho has made a great impression on Paul Raynor and myself since we joined the club.
The lad can play very well in a number of key positions and he demonstrated that towards the end of last season when he performed exceptionally well in several areas. He was our best player when we drew away at Aldershot Town when he was deployed at centre back, he put in a similar performance when he had to slot in a left back against Northampton Town when Dale Tonge came off injured, and prior to this we have seen him do a great job in midfield.
It would be fair to say I had a number of clubs ask about Mark Bradley's availability at the end of last season but lads like this are hard to find. When I sat down with him at the end of last season, his first words where to the effect that he was desperate to play for Rotherham United, I was delighted with that.
He will have a big part to play because he like the rest of my players know that if any of them gets into the starting XI and does a great job then they will stay in the team, that is very important to every playerthat the manager has no favourites and let me tell them, I don't.