Steve Evans talks to www.themillers.co.uk...
Steve Evans is now firmly focused on the play-off campaign that is about to greet The Millers after what has been a fantastic season. Evans this morning confirmed that it is all about preparation now and that will include next Saturday's match at Swindon Town but first we started with yesterday's match at home to MK Dons.
Your thoughts this morning after yesterday's 2 - 2 draw with MK Dons?
It always seems like a great victory when you come back from 2-0 down and so it should. Once again the lads have gone right to the very end, at times they are incredible and over the 90 minutes we got the very least we deserved.
For over an hour it was not a good performance, we lacked most things we are good at but we managed to straighten a few things out at half-time and of course with the introductions of the substitutes who all helped to change the game. I think a few of the lads have one eye on the play-offs and have had that for a few matches now, they cannot be blamed for that as they are all human. I have to say in that last 20 minutes we looked back at our best as we laid siege to the MK Dons goal and if we hadn't scored it would have been a travesty.
Much was said all season and after the match yesterday by the odd individual or two that we are not good enough to be in the play-offs, some people need to accept and acknowledge what this Rotherham United team has achieved in two seasons, it is remarkable. Like ourselves MK Dons have a brilliant Chairman, a new ground, very loyal and superb supporters plus a host of top quality players so to play them yesterday whilst looking at the current League One league table demonstrates how much progress we have made.
Yesterday was a competitive fixture, how are we on the injury front?
It certainly was a bit fired up at times and maybe the late challenges on James Tavernier and Ben Pringle on another day would have been dealt with much more severely. However, the good news is that we have come through unscathed and we are in great shape.
Going onto the match referee, what I would say is that he did show great management when MK Dons young player George Baldock went down with a head knock. The young man for me was having a fine match and I am delighted to hear this morning that he has gone home with the team and looks to be none the worse for his knock but I will be on the telephone later today to MK Dons just to make sure the kid gets our best wishes.
As we now prepare for the play-offs what is planned for the week ahead?
We have two very important matches ahead of the play-offs. It is paramount that everyone now gets a chance to claim a place in the team and we have a closed door match against Championship opposition in Tuesday then travel to play Swindon Town next Saturday. I want each and every one of our players to show clearly in there match performance and in training that they should be given a starting shirt in the play-off matches. They will be exciting, live Television, big crowds and playing against some of the best teams in League One. There is a real buzz at Rotherham United and I want everyone, especially our fantastic supporters to embrace it for every second.
Finally, our Head of Medical, Denis Circuit retires after the play-offs and I know you wanted to give him a special mention?
Denis is simply one of the most professional men I have worked with; he is outstanding in his job. In my two years here he has given me the most loyal and committed support and we will all miss him when he departs us when this season is over. Let us all hope it is at Wembley, there could be no better stage for his impending retirement from his current full time role. May I on behalf of everyone at The Millers thank him for being the man he is!