Paul Warne talks to www.themillers.co.
Millers boss Paul Warne insists the floor is open to every member of his Rotherham United squad to make a claim for a regular starting berth in his side, after an impressive display from a number of players on the fringes in last night’s Carabao Cup clash at Huddersfield Town.
The fixture at the John Smith’s Stadium saw a starting 11 containing eight different faces to the one named at the weekend in Peterborough run the Premier League Terriers very close, in a hotly-contested affair in West Yorkshire.
In a game that could quite easily finished with a different outcome more favourable to the League One visitors, Warne was pleased with a number of performances and admits that he is delighted with the competition for a starting jersey ahead of this weekend’s hosting of Charlton Athletic.
“The competition for places is really intense and I think from potentially my first pick in the first team to any other player I don't think there's a massive gulf in ability"
“I'm pretty happy with whichever 11 we put out for whichever game and I know that they'll perform to a level.
“I said this last night as well, that I don't look at the team that I put out [at Huddersfield] as a lot weaker than the team I put out on the Saturday and I just thought that I wanted to make changes.
“I think they've all really bought into the club ethos and our ethos as staff here and they all want to do well.
“I think physically they put their bodies on the line every week and I think last night, we were well aware of the athletic prowess that Huddersfield have but I thought our lads committed themselves really well.”
Despite the good performances from a number of individuals, Warne may have fresh injury concerns ahead of the match against the Addicks, with a couple of players involved in the game at Huddersfield picking up minor knocks ahead of the weekend.
“He's [Jonson Clarke-Harris] a little bit sore. He hasn't dislocated it and he's just got a bit of a cartilage issue around it, so I don't know if he'll be available for this weekend,” Warne added.
“David Ball is a little bit sore in the hammy, it's nothing too major and Dominic Ball is a little bit sore in the hip.
"Those three are potential doubts for this weekend but I might have Jerry available.”