Evans discusses transfer targets...
Rotherham United returned from their close-season trip recently, and manager Steve Evans insists it’s back down to business, quickly dismissing himself from a trio of reported transfer targets.
“We’re back from a fantastic trip,” said the Millers boss. “Our team spirit has been unified all season and with the prize that the boys achieved at the end of it, it was great to see them thoroughly enjoying themselves. It must be added, there was work to be done, which they did and there was fun time as well. They will go on their personal holidays now and report back refreshed at the end of June.”
Whilst the players will now enjoy a summer away from football, it won't be as relaxed for the Millers manager who has already begun taking strides towards shaping his side for next season. Joe Skarz was the first to put pen-to-paper on a permanent deal, and Evans is in the process of adding to his current squad.
“We’ve come back and within a few hours I was in a meeting with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman about recruitment and identifying the targets that we have got. There was work done prior to going away and indeed whilst we were there but now it’s about speaking to more representatives and get some positive business done. We’re not in a position to release names yet, we will go about our business quietly and confidentially. We’ve identified our key targets, the Chairman is comfortable with them so it’s now my job as manager to ascertain values if it’s a purchase as well as wages and a package for the player before coming back and discussing it with the board.”
A whole host of names have already been discussed in the press, but the manager has been quick to distance himself from a trio of names who many believed were on their way to New York Stadium.
“I can confirm that we are not in talks with Ashley Vincent (Port Vale), Billy McKay (Inverness CT) or Scott Flinders (Hartlepool) nor will we be in talks with them at any time. They are good players but they are just not on the list of targeted names that I have discussed with the Chairman. It will not be the players themselves who has linked them with the club, but the current world of agents and the internet, it’s easy to put two and two together and come up with 55.”
The business doesn’t end there for Evans, as meetings with his current crop of players has continued, with more announcements likely today.
“I have discussed the future of some members of our first-team squad, and in the last 24 hours I have had agreed by the Chairman that there will be four players made available for transfer, and they will be announced later today.”