Rotherham United manager Paul Warne was on iFollow Millers press duty ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Swansea City at Liberty Stadium.
The Millers will travel to South Wales looking to build on an impressive victory against Preston North End prior to the international break, as they embark on their first Sky Bet Championship clash of a packed looking fixture schedule.
You can read the highlights from the interview below, with video content to follow shortly HERE on iFollow Millers.
Warne on Preston win…
“We were pleased with how we played and it was a very satisfying win. There could have been more goals for either of the sides but to come away with the victory set us up really well for the international break.
“We’re really pleased, I don’t think we’ve got the points our performances have deserved so far, but I can’t keep saying that. So to get the win against one of the best away sides in the league was really pleasing.”
Warne on the importance of a squad effort going into a packed fixture schedule…
“It is definitely a squad thing, I’ve just said to them that with the new rules we’ll be taking 20 up to Swansea at the weekend and anyone of them could come in and contribute for us.
“Everyone will play a part and the length of the part that they do play is down to them. I say to them every day that if you’re the best in your position at training you’ll be playing every week, so it’s definitely a squad game and with 11 games in five weeks we’ll be using everyone. Hopefully we’ll accumulate enough points to keep everyone happy.”
Warne on Viktor Johansson’s first competitive start for the Millers…
“We’ve been pleased with him in training and we like him, I think he’s definitely going to be our future number one and his performance against Preston was very impressive. His distribution was very good and he was brave. Hopefully his dad was really proud of him watching from Sweden. He’s a great kid and I think he’ll have a great career with us.
“It was never a difficult decision to bring him in. I like him to be brave, I like him to be cavalier and I can even accept the odd error because what they bring you in the rest of the 90 minutes is really good.”
Warne on how he and the team have used the international break…
“This one has been a bit surreal, because of the lockdown they haven’t been able to really have a proper break and get away somewhere like the coast or whatever the case may be. We did a lot of work on the training pitch last week and held a few individual meetings to show them what we like and what need to improve on, which was a good way to see if the learning was taking place.
“We allowed the lads to have a bit of down time, they were off Monday and Tuesday, but some of the players still came in and trained. The physical rest is crucial but it is the psychological rest for me. We’ve got 11 games in five weeks, and I know it’s the same for everyone, but the games are going to come thick and fast now.”
Warne on the form of Joshua Kayode and scoring his first goal for his country…
“His reports at Carlisle have been really good, we watch his clips and Hammy (Matt Hamshaw) still speaks to him a lot. I text him yesterday just to congratulate him for getting his first goal.
“He’s been doing really well and it is the perfect development pattern for us with him going to Gateshead and doing well and then on to Carlisle now. Hopefully he can continue to grow into the prospect well hope he can be.”
Warne on the EFL Youth Alliance Cup final against AFC Wimbledon…
“They gave everything for this club which was great. If I’m honest I thought Wimbledon probably shaded it but we had three really good chances to win it. It was a great experience for the lads to play on our pitch, they’ve got an FA Youth Cup game against Arsenal to look forward to now as well. It was good and I think the youth team is in really good hands, I was pleased with what I saw.”
Warne on team news ahead of Swansea trip…
“We’ve got 22 training today, so we’re in good shape. We have to make a decision on Joe Mattock, but aside from that everyone who we expected to be available is.
“Kieran Sadlier is having an operation on his injury, that doesn’t make any difference as to when he will be able to play, which still rules him out until at least February, which is a big blow for Kieran and a big blow for us. Jamal Blackman is back in contention, we’ll see how he does in training today and I’ll have a chat with him later to see how he is.”
Warne on Saturday’s opponents Swansea City…
“The front three are really dangerous and the wing-backs put a lot of work in, they are a possession based team as they always have been, which is fundamentally how they’ve been playing for many years. They have threats all over the pitch, but that is no different to any other Championship team.
“These are the games that the lads should go out and enjoy, so we’ll go there trying to play on the front foot and try to cause them problems. They have got quality, but so have we, hopefully we can go down there and put in a good performance on the day.”