Opposing views: Rotherham
Main_stand_miller thinks Steve Evans is a marmite manager and that Tom Pope is no more than a ‘lower-league clogger’ but nevertheless he (normally) scores a hat-trick against them…
Bio
Main_stand_miller has ” been following the Merry (and not so Merry) Millers from back to back promotions and four years in the championship – to two administrations, 60 odd points deducted and four years in a soulless out of town Athletics stadium. Before coming home to our beautiful cosy little town centre ground. It’s fair to say it has been what Steve Evans describes as a ‘roller-coaster'”
How are your team doing?
In the long run of it we have seen some outstanding attacking football and goals throughout the team…
The team have lost just twice in 19 games, I believe. In the long run of it we have seen some outstanding attacking football and goals throughout the team. The latter two games were local derbies against two Yorkshire sides with nothing to play for. Instead of coming and having a go they disappointingly put 11 men behind the ball with no intention of attacking, which when matched with the quick accumulation of three big games in six days has seen us win one, lose one and draw one. We came with the aim of securing league One football and building from there so to sit cosily just behind third with automatics mathematically (but very unrealistically) achievable is outstanding.
Who should we watch out for?
Ben Pringle and central midfielder Lee Frecklington arguably possess qualities that would walk them into any League One midfield…
Our danger men are scattered through the side, with left midfielder Ben Pringle and central midfielder Lee Frecklington arguably possessing qualities that would walk them into any League One midfield. Newcastle loanee James Tavernier at right-back has been a fantastic attacking outlet whilst fellow Newcastle Loanee and Slovenian international Haris Vuckic is looking hungrier each time he comes off the bench. A mention also to young Keiran Agard who was a bit-part player last season has really stamped his name as an essential on the teamsheet with over 20 goals mostly from the wing.
What are your thoughts on your manager?
We could be here for a while on our manager so I won’t bother going into too much detail as we all know him. You love him as your manager and you loathe him in the opposing dugout. He’s a winner though and knows a good player when he sees one. The vast majority of fans are firmly behind him, despite not many believing he was the right appointment at the time.
What are your thoughts on your board?
The board led by Tony Stewart has taken us from our crippled yet sentimental stomping ground of Millmoor and built us a fantastic stadium right in the centre of town, providing fantastic executive and business opportunities and a brilliant staff and team structure to boot. He really is the saviour of the team (literally) after picking us from the dumps and transforming us into an ambitious little northern club with a steadily growing fanbase and exciting football. It really is good times at the moment.
Any views on Port Vale?
Port Vale seem to have become our bogey side and we have put in both some good and some not so good performances against yourselves, never seeming to come away with anything…
Port Vale seem to have become our bogey side and we have put in both some good and some not so good performances against yourselves, never seeming to come away with anything.
Any views and memories of players/managers that have been involved with both teams?
Tom Pope is always the centre of the occasion with his thuggery and theatrics and will probably always receive a hostile receptions from the Millers fans. Annoyingly this only makes him up his game, though from a personal point of view, he’s not much more than a lower-league clogger despite his great return last season (that’ll be a hat-trick for him Saturday!)
A score prediction?
I believe we will now finally see the Millers take the foot off the gas and prepare for inevitable play-offs by rotating the squad and getting game time in for fringe players. Vale are an organised and physical side, if you come to play us off the park, I predict a Millers 2-1 Win. If you come to be hard to beat and get men behind the ball, I predict 1-3 to Vale.