Rotherham United manager Paul Warne spoke to the local media ahead of his team’s upcoming clash with Bolton Wanderers.
The Millers welcome to the Trotters to AESSEAL New York Stadium on New Year’s Day, meaning the fixture will mark their first Sky Bet League One clash of 2022.
Warne reflected on the year of 2022, as well as giving an update on the latest team news ahead of the match.
Warne on injury and covid-19 news…
“At the moment we’re good, we’ve got no issues. As for every other club though, who have had any issues, once it is in the camp, it’s in.
“So we need to remain alert to it, but as I speak to you today we’ve returned a full set of negative tests.
“In terms of injuries, we have no dramas, so we’re doing okay there as well and hopefully there won’t be any before Saturday.”
Warne on Angus MacDonald…
“We had an in-house game yesterday and he played three sets of 20 minutes, I’ve had a good candid chat with him today and we’re both really honest with each other.
“I think the two cup games coming up may be a little too soon, but I do feel like we are edging nearer, but I can’t put a timescale on it right now.”
Warne on the transfer window…
“We’re going to make changes for the Crewe and QPR games, so everyone will have a chance to impress in the coming weeks.
“As it stands at the moment, I’ve got no one knocking my door down, I’ve not heard anything about any outgoings, so as I speak to you today there is nothing to worry about.
“Obviously, I know if Bayern Munich or someone like that comes in for one of our players they’ll be off, but thankfully they haven’t as of yet!
“I don’t expect to be doing any business, in or out during the window. I think there is one position I would like to strengthen, but I have to balance that and at the moment I am happy with the group I have got.”
Warne on Rarmani Edmonds-Green…
“I had a conversation with him recently and he didn’t mention to me about any interest. Huddersfield do have the option to recall him in January if they wanted to, but I know they have been really impressed with his progress here.
“Obviously we really want him to stay and we are hopeful that he will.”
Warne on the Lincoln postponement…
“It was disappointing to see the game go, but that is just the situation at the moment. We wanted to get straight back to another game following our loss at Accrington, which could have gone either way.
“We didn’t want any games off, because we know what a backlog of fixtures can do. We were desperate to get in on and try to give our fans something to smile about over Christmas, but it wasn’t to be.”
Warne on where the team could improve…
“I think we could be better at taking more chances, but then every manager in the world would say that.
“We may have conceded a few chances than we’d have liked recently as well, but generally it is just about keeping the lad’s energy up because I never want to come away from pressing.
“I think our play is pretty good, we are going to lose the odd game that is football. We don’t get too high after a win and too low after a defeat.
“If we can keep our energy up and remain injury free we will give ourselves every chance.”
Warne on what impact Bolton not playing for three weeks could have on the game…
“They haven’t had a competitive game for three weeks, they have been training for four or five days now.
“They are well coached and will have their rotations on lockdown. When we came back from covid we didn’t have any training days.
“But they are a well-coached team, who have had a few days on the training pitch, so I can’t seeing it having that much of an impact on them to be honest.”
Warne on Bolton...
“They had a really good start to the season and were in the top three in the early months. They’ve always been right in their games and had the vast majority of the possession as well.
“I went to see them play against Sheffield Wednesday a few weeks ago and they were the better team on the day.
“They lost that game, but I thought they were excellent on the day. Their performances have been good, but I think they’ve been on the wrong end of a few defeats.
“There is now doubt that they are a very good League One side, who will give it a right good go in the second half of the campaign.”
Warne on 2021 reflections…
“It has been a surreal year. I think in years to come we will look back on this and say ‘remember that year when no fans were allowed in?’
“It seems unbelievable that it was like that and hopefully we won’t ever slide back into those crazy days again.
“I was really proud of the performances from the team last year, we literally gave everything we could and as seasons ago it was probably one of the proudest I’ve been as a manager, my team couldn’t have given anything more.
“As a year of football, I’d like to think people would appreciate that everyone here is giving everything and if I was a fan it is how I’d want my team to play.”