Rotherham United manager Paul Warne spoke to the local media ahead of Tuesday night’s South Yorkshire derby with Doncaster Rovers.
The Millers make the short hop up the M18 to take on their neighbours off the back of two successive league victories, with the Gaffer discussing the upcoming game.
Also on the agenda was the injury Rarmani Edmonds-Green picked up at the weekend and Deadline Day.
You can read highlights from the interview, here…
Warne on Rarmani Edmonds-Green’s injury…
“He’s having a scan today, I expect it to be a grade two and he could be out for a few weeks, we’ll know more though when his scan comes back.
“We have been really pleased with his performances since we brought him in and his attitude has been spot on as well.
“I still remember when I took him off at half time against Morecambe and he just told the lads to go out and win the game, which is something I remember fondly from him.
“It’s disappointing for him and us but as I always say, it is next man up. We’ll have to deal with injuries and suspensions as always and this is another one of them.
Warne on whether he’d consider adding a defender before the deadline…
“I did say that after the game on Saturday, but I didn’t know how bad it was going to be, it doesn’t seem as severe as it could have been.
“We do have some strength in depth there, we’ve got Wes, Tolaji Bola and Joe Mattock who could all play there and Angus is still working towards a return, too.”
Warne on potential Deadline Day business…
“I spoke to a player on Thursday – with the club’s permission of course – and I got told he wanted to come on loan.
“He is spending another week with his parent club because he’s just returned to training from an injury, so I won’t actually see him until next Monday.
“I think everything is agreed in principle, everyone is happy with what we’re doing and it will be a good deal for us.
“I think that will be our only business. I’ve said from day one that I was happy with the squad we have, but because of circumstances we’ve done some business in and out.”
Warne on whether there’s been bids for any of his players…
“Contrary to reports in certain media outlets, there have been no bids for Freddie Ladapo or any of our players.
“There have been numerous phone calls but no bids have been made. I find in the last few days of the transfer window a lot of speculative phone calls are made, but there has been nothing official.”
Warne on speculation regarding Jamie Lindsay…
“There hasn’t been a bid for us to turn down and it would have to be a significant one for us to even consider it.
“Jamie Lindsay is a very good player and has been unfortunate that the three lads in front of him have been in brilliant form, but if Jamie gets back in he’ll probably stay in, that’s how good he is.
“I can’t see a bid coming in that would turn our heads for Jamie, especially at this stage of the window.”
Warne on Freddie Ladapo…
“Since he’s put the transfer request in, he’s trained really well, his attitude has been spot on, too. If I wake up tomorrow morning and he’s still at the club I will use him as I see fit.
“If Freddie is here in the morning, I don’t dispute that he will want to play in every game and it will be his job to get in the team.”
Warne on the response to the Fleetwood defeat and subsequent form since…
“I wasn’t too displeased with our performance against Fleetwood, I thought we did okay. It’s just sometimes you can get done with a sucker punch when you don’t take your chances.
“I’ve said it loads of times that football is so random. I think we probably played better against Fleetwood than in the last two games we won.
“The Crewe game could’ve gone either way and I was pleased that we rolled our sleeves up and got the result we wanted.”
Warne on Doncaster Rovers…
“They’ve got new management in place and have signed virtually a new team. I do not see them as a bottom of the table side at all.
“They are definitely holding a much more attacking threat than they have done in previous games and they played really well in the first half on Saturday especially.
“I know how much they want to win, as do we and I’ve said to the lads that if you want to get promoted, the big games like this are the ones you have to win.
“That is all we’re trying to do, I know it will be a difficult game.”
Warne on whether the two games earlier in the season against Rovers will have a bearing on Tuesday…
“As I’ve said they are a completely different team now. Especially with the game we won in the Papa John’s, a lot went our way that night.
“They missed a couple of chances in the first half and we had one hit the post and the keeper and go in.
“It isn’t comparable, the teams have changed that much, so I don’t think it will have any bearing on Tuesday and there will be no complacency from us.”