Paul Warne staying grounded following Rotherham’s impressive start

Posted Thursday, September 15, 2022 by PA

Rotherham boss Paul Warne is not getting carried away despite his side’s excellent start to the Sky Bet Championship.

The Millers registered their best opening to a second-tier campaign since the 1960s with a 3-0 win over Blackpool thanks to goals from Chiedozie Ogbene, Wes Harding and Georgie Kelly.

They were full value for their victory – their third of the campaign – and on this evidence it looks as if the Millers will finally snap their yo-yo status which has seen them swap between the Championship and League One every season since 2016.

But Warne knows only too well the nature of the Championship and is staying grounded.

“I was proud to stand there as their manager and all the praise should go to the players, they showed a lot of confidence. I thought they were really good,” he said.

“When I looked at the fixtures at the start of the season, these games in comparison to some looked not easy, but we haven’t played Norwich, Burnley or Sheffield United yet.

“So I can’t say I am getting excited but I am really proud watching the team. It is a good group, they look after themselves and they are a tight group. They are all in it together, it is good to see.

“We have rode our luck in many games, Preston smoked us, QPR smoked us, so we could have come away from those games with nothing.

“I am optimistic for this group but you are only ever one game or one collection of injuries away from trouble.

“I am not overly optimistic, I am happy that we are ticking along. You have to pick up points when you are playing well because there is going to be a period where we don’t play well and we are in trouble.

“I do know before the World Cup there is a Norwich, Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton week which sounds amazing.”

Blackpool boss Michael Appleton said he wished he could have put his boots on at the New York Stadium to show his players what he expected from them.

“It wasn’t great,” he said. “As a coach and a manager for a number of years, all I want to do when I lose a game of football is lose it in a certain way and for my team to show character regardless of who they are up against in terms of ability or physical presence.

“Just show a bit of personality and I thought we lacked that tonight. It is hard for me to take because I just want to get on the pitch myself and show the players what I mean by personality.

“We were a little bit reactive. If you look at the three goals, Rotherham got first contact in the box and you are going to struggle.

“We just made it far too easy for them and it is difficult to take.”