AS has told the Advertiser that we need to be patient with regards to new signings. Apparently we have a substantial bid in and a loan deal imminent but we may have to wait until the end of August until we get in the players we need. His statement sums up Rotherham's position perfectly. We haven't got the cash to splash willy-nilly; we're not going to adopt a scattergun approach and bring in quantity over quality; we have a manager who knows what he wants and he's prepared to wait rather than compromise. Hopefully fans will be happy with his honesty and will understand his intentions and the environment in which he's working. It may mean that August is tough - but when hasn't it been in this League? However, in the long term we might achieve the type of squad that we really want and one that can elevate us to greater things.
Good on yer AS! Onwards and Upwards!!
Shocking organisation - Non league approach, so let's give everyone else August as a start on us because we are going to be great for the rest of the season. I find it odd that you see this as tactically astute - looks like a disorganised approach to me and we are on the back foot clearly.
The longer this goes on, the longer im starting to agree with NewYorkshire. We had a "tough" August last season from a performance and results perspective - and that set the tone for the rest of the season.
Im expecting the same again this season.
The article to me says we are just going to give August up as a bad job. We are so thin on the ground it is scary. Yes I agree with quality not quantity, but at the moment, we have neither.
Its a credit to Glen that he acknowledges Stubbs honesty and that we should understand his intentions and the environment in which he is working and also accepting a tough month ahead. I do agree whole heartedly with the sentiments. But I also share NewYorkshires fears.
However I think Stubbs ought to be enjoying this honeymoon period and be pleased he has had a fair proportion of the summer break to identify, target and build his squad. Unlike a previous manager, who was also a man with honesty and integrity and who, I am certain, tried his best with what he had but was crucified almost from day one, despite being dropped in at the deep end. He was like the little boy trying to stop the deluge with his finger in the leaking dyke. He was judged on results and got the chop.
I now sense a feeling of deja vu amongst a fair number of fans who are beginning to get a bit touchy. But this period of grace will end in just over a week and the proof of the pudding is in the eating; Stubbs will also be judged on results, tough month or no. I just hope the fans will adopt Glens approach and give the guy a break and a real chance to develop something with the club. We live in hope.
Looking at 1st 3 games. Wolves min' need Grant Ward back & a Big forward. Ideally could do with a Right & Centre back. Need those in place for those 2 tough away games at Villa & Brighton.
Towdlad I was thinking along similar lines re Redfearn, it really feels like Groundhog Day as regards Stubbs, with what has been said on local radio he wants to play football which is commendable but as stated results will dictate his fate, I know it was only a pre season friendly and you shouldn't judge but the way we set up at Scunny gives me the shudders, pushing the full backs up leaving space behind, too many youth players, no talking, no organisation has me dreading the seasons start.
Wanting to "play" is great don't know about anyone else but RUFC cannot play that way whenever we have had success has always been with fight 100% effort and a little bit of luck eg. see last season with Warnock, further back with Evans, Moore etc we simply do not have the players to play the tippy tappy stuff and this is what I fear Stubbs is wanting to go to as did Redfearn before him and his fate was sealed with the (lack of) results.
Ideally we could do with an old fashioned centre forward in the Revell mould not saying him per se but that type who can hold the ball up Halford could probably do this in the short term if we really have to "wait" for the right man/men
There is no doubt we need players in and some fans are happy to sign 8-9 players of average capability as Evans did. But at the moment it's still a sellers market with players n agents holding out for outrages fees. What we need to do is hold our nerve, don't panic and next month we will be in with a shout. Yes it will be hard the first few games but I'd rather have 9/10 of the season with quality players on board than the whole of the season with average ones. No panic at the moment next month we will be all smiles....promise
As I said in another thread - we have not learned lessons from the past about landing targets and whoever is in charge of this area is not good enough and needs replacing.
I agree that Evans scattergun - sign anyone - was not the way to go, but we have obviously got no sense of what it takes to negotiate and sign anyone when we are in a competitive situation. It's not the Manager's fault.
If we start badly we will be chasing it again all season and it adds pressure.
We got very very lucky last year with the excellent Warnock effect, we can't expect the same again late in the season - we need a squad that can compete from day one and the club is failing in this respect.
It's great that we are in the championship etc etc, but let's face it, it's a crap feeling for all us fans, same as last year, when we ought to be looking forward to the season starting - we are instead all worried before we've kicked a ball...
This problem needs sorting by TS, though it may already be too late.
I have hope based on luck and blind faith, and I'll take that and shout my head off on the 6th in support, but I don't have hope of us staying up based on anything amounting to common sense...
If this is Stubbs & the Club being realistic then I am very very worried, especially if we're writing the month of August off already. Is Gee Evans still involved in player recruitment along with Mr Douglas?
The simple fact of the matter is the squad is so threadbare it's unbelievable & looking at the squad numbers announced today it becomes alarming, I can't believe Stubbs comes across as being so calm, I'd be doing my nut!!
I agree, my pre season optimism is starting to wane a little, first from all the talk that hyped it all up and then from the lack of 'quality' signings. I am however prepared to be patient and wait and give the benefit of the doubt thats starting to creeping in.
The main worry for me is, two irons have already been pulled from the fire and the other two we are waiting on in August, may also not materialise. Then where will we be????
For those fans on here who are having difficulty coming to terms with our current situation and who have perhaps not developed the thick skin and eternal optimism required to be a Miller, I offer the following advice:
I don't know what to think about our current situation but something doesn't feel right.
We've had lots of optimistic talk from the club about signing quality and being prepared to push the boat out to get the right players but very little has happened so far and the new season is almost upon us.
We lost out on our primary striker targets so presumably the alternatives we are looking at now fall short of our original aspirations. It also seems there is no certainty that the deals will be concluded anyway because the clubs involved are keeping us hanging on, possibly in the hope that someone else will come in with better offers.
The whole recruitment process at the club appears amateurish and disjointed and so many potential deals seem to fall through at the last minute. Maybe this is an area that needs radical overhaul as practically every other club in the Championship seems well advanced in completing their squads while we are left trailing in their wake.
I know there is still time for things to change but I can't help feeling that if Neil Warnock had been in charge we wouldn't be approaching the start of the new season with a weaker squad than the one that finished the previous one.
Hopefully everything will fall into place next week............Please!
I don't know what to think about our current situation but something doesn't feel right. We've had lots of optimistic talk from the club about signing quality and being prepared to push the boat out to get the right players but very little has happened so far and the new season is almost upon us. We lost out on our primary striker targets so presumably the alternatives we are looking at now fall short of our original aspirations. It also seems there is no certainty that the deals will be concluded anyway because the clubs involved are keeping us hanging on, possibly in the hope that someone else will come in with better offers. The whole recruitment process at the club appears amateurish and disjointed and so many potential deals seem to fall through at the last minute. Maybe this is an area that needs radical overhaul as practically every other club in the Championship seems well advanced in completing their squads while we are left trailing in their wake. I know there is still time for things to change but I can't help feeling that if Neil Warnock had been in charge we wouldn't be approaching the start of the new season with a weaker squad than the one that finished the previous one. Hopefully everything will fall into place next week............Please!
Mellow, f@me we agree, to a point, :) :) :) I think the run under Sir Neil was a perfect storm, it will not happen again, The rest of it Im in total, total agreement. When we state we have a big budget but bid league 2 doesnt **** me off with the bid but ****es me off with the big words that we are competing in this league !!
I don't know what to think about our current situation but something doesn't feel right. We've had lots of optimistic talk from the club about signing quality and being prepared to push the boat out to get the right players but very little has happened so far and the new season is almost upon us. We lost out on our primary striker targets so presumably the alternatives we are looking at now fall short of our original aspirations. It also seems there is no certainty that the deals will be concluded anyway because the clubs involved are keeping us hanging on, possibly in the hope that someone else will come in with better offers. The whole recruitment process at the club appears amateurish and disjointed and so many potential deals seem to fall through at the last minute. Maybe this is an area that needs radical overhaul as practically every other club in the Championship seems well advanced in completing their squads while we are left trailing in their wake. I know there is still time for things to change but I can't help feeling that if Neil Warnock had been in charge we wouldn't be approaching the start of the new season with a weaker squad than the one that finished the previous one. Hopefully everything will fall into place next week............Please!
"...The whole recruitment process at the club appears amateurish and disjointed and so many potential deals seem to fall through at the last minute. Maybe this is an area that needs radical overhaul as practically every other club in the Championship seems well advanced in completing their squads while we are left trailing in their wake."
Nail on head mate..,
can't believe TS has not sorted this yet, even if some of his friends & family are part of the problem - the state of the club's finances shows he knows what he's doing on that side, so why he hasn't resolved this is beyond me..
Make an offer--not accepted--up the offer a bit--not accepted--walk away, not interested--wait to see what happens--no other takers-- go back in August--make a fresh offer less than original--get a bargain--result!
Trouble is this is the Championship, not 'Flog It', or 'Bargain Hunt'
