Richardson ‘We Finished Strong’

Rotherham United got a two-all draw at Blackburn Rovers this afternoon with Millers Head Coach Leam Richardson saying it was a ‘gusty’ performance.

Speaking to Radio Sheffield Leam said, ‘We didn’t start either half how we wanted and it took us a bit to get to grips with our distances And, although I was probably critical at half-time I think we finished the second half the strongest out of the two.

‘We weren’t happy having to come back in the first half and we wanted to set a solid foundation to build on that in the second half and to concede as early as we did can be avoidable but the response we got was fantastic and we took control of large parts of the second half and could possibly have gone on to win. The players coming off the bench gave us a lift and we scored a good goal to get ourselves back in it.’

Both Rotherham goals this afternoon were headers, the first from Sean Morrison who Leam said, ‘He is the only fit centre-half at the club and he’s rolled himself out there, looked after himself terrifically well over this Christmas period for the age he is. The other lads around him have probably learned from him and he probably deserved his goal over the last few performances.’

Tom Eaves got his first league start of the season today and scored the second equaliser with his manager saying it was a rotation in the team saying, ‘He trains terrifically well, his professionalism is top class and he worked hard enough to score that goal. And it was the time we were in the ascendency so a great time to score.’

Asked about Viktor Johansson’s save today, with a laugh, Leam said, ‘It’s his job to make saves! Viktor is just being Viktor isn’t he. His performance level doesn’t go unnoticed. Good goalkeepers win you points. Good goalkeepers keep the ball out of the net and that’s Viktor.

‘This team is still growing and revolving but I don’t think there will be another team in the country who have used as few players as we have and it’s fair credit to those players who have had to go again over this Christmas period and the challenges these players have faced over that period has got to be commendable.’

And, of course, the January Transfer Window opened today and the question cropped up about players loaned out with the Head Coach saying that conversations had been had and a decision would be made probably in the next twenty-four hours.