Rotherham United manager Paul Warne was on iFollow Millers press duty ahead of his sides’ trip to face Nottingham Forest tomorrow night.
The Millers will travel to the City Ground without their manager on Tuesday, who is in the final days of his period of self-isolation, following a positive COVID-19 test for a family member.
On the agenda ahead of his team’s third Sky Bet Championship away game of the 2020/21 campaign were topics including last Saturday’s game against Norwich City, managing from home and the challenge waiting the Millers against Chris Hughton’s side.
You can read the highlights from the interview below, with video content to follow shortly HERE on iFollow Millers.
Warne on last Saturday’s game against Norwich…
"I was really pleased with the performance, I think the lads are playing really well. We played with a bit of confidence and created good chances. In fairness Norwich created chances as well, you are not going to play any team in the Championship that won’t create a single chance.
"The lads will be disappointed they lost, but hopefully they’ll get confidence from how they played. All teams are going to lose games, we just need to have the right mentality to take the performance into the next match. I’m hopeful that the lads took confidence from it, but as pleased as I was, I still think the lads can play even better than that.
"I like linking emotion to sport because I think it gets the best out of people, if they gave that extra 1% because I wasn’t there and it’s my boyhood club then great. I’m really pleased with how they played and the effort they put in, but that’s what we demand every week. In fairness, apart from 45 minutes this season we have been at our best and that is all I can really ask for."
Warne on Jamal Blackman…
"I think he looked really assured on Saturday, I wouldn’t have got him into the building if I didn’t think he could make the saves that he did. I’m more pleased with his overall play, I like the way he sweeps, I like how brave he is and that for me is a big part as to why he is our number one goalkeeper.
"The more he plays, the more comfortable he’ll get with how we play, and the more relationships will build. I think Jamal is testament to that, he’s had more games, gained more confidence and now I think he’ll carry on improving."
Warne on managing from home…
"I enjoyed the first half, but I found the last 10 minutes tough. On the side of the pitch you have the relief of being able to communicate with people or move about. At home there is no release to it, sitting at home watching is like shaking a coke bottle without taking the lid off it, I felt like I was a fan more than anything.
"I still think I was emotionally driven watching the game, I was hoping I could be more objective watching but to be honest I still watched it like I was in the dugout. The only thing I did notice is when you’re high up everything looks a lot easier. I’d like to say I had a great tactical outlook on the game, but I’m not sure I saw it any better than my coaches did."
Warne on the transfer window…
"I’m really pleased, I think the recruitment team have done very well and I have to thank everybody from the coaches to the fitness staff. Especially the owner as well, because he has to endorse them, so a massive thanks to the chairman because it’s a very difficult time to get players.
"The players we have got in are ideal for us, everyone has their own shopping list and budget so the guys we managed to bring in are perfect for us. There’s a good relationship between us the coaches, and the recruitment team, who understand exactly what type of player we look for. We’ve still got a few who don’t have much Championship experience, but now we’ll be looking to bed them in and hopefully look forward to an exciting season."
Warne on Dan Barlaser’s first game since joining permanently and the performance of Shaun MacDonald…
"He did very well, it helps that he had Shaun MacDonald playing next to him who I thought was excellent. Dan (Barlaser) can pass, he can play and he’s got a really good drop of the shoulder. Hopefully we can progress him into the player he’s destined to be.
"That’s no disrespect to all our midfielders because they’ve all been excellent. Jamie Lindsay is desperate to play as he should be and Wilsey (Ben Wiles) is probably one of the best midfielders at the club and is playing out wide.
"If Dan wants to keep his place, he knows he needs to keep his standards high because the competition for places behind him is great. Shaun MacDonald is like the older version of Dan, and if he goes onto have a similar career to what Shaun has had, he’ll have done very well in the game."
Warne on team news ahead of Nottingham Forest trip…
"We’ve got one injury that looks a bit of a problem, I don’t want to announce to Nottingham Forest who that is, it looks a long term one which is a problem. Angus (MacDonald) is obviously suspended so that’s one enforced change we’ll have to make.
"Apart from that, we look in good shape. Any injury is always sad, but it is always about next man up. I have complete confidence in my squad, everyone knows how hard everybody works at this football club, so I have complete belief in anyone that comes in."
Warne on Nottingham Forest challenge…
"A Chris Hughton side will always be organised, and as we know about him, he’s a winner. He’s got teams promoted to the Premier League and it is some coup to get him at any club. Obviously, they’ve got Anthony Knockaert in as well now.
"You look at their front four and it’s probably the best in the league. Behind them they have Colback and Yates, so from a team view they are excellent. They have the quality to be in the top six, as they were for the majority of last season. They won at Blackburn at the weekend, which was an excellent result as well, it will be a very tough game."