RUFC – Are we being over critical?

Rotherham United fans booed the team/management for the second Saturday in a row after their three-two defeat by lowly side Dagenham and Redbridge at the LB Barking & Dagenham Stadium and, Millers Manager, Andy Scott said in the press that he realises that fans are annoyed at not winning and it’s only natural that they want to vent their anger.

Andy Scott joined the Millers towards the end of last season, the third manager in as many seasons, and, as soon as May came around he put six players on the transfer list and, over the summer, brought in, if memory serves, ten new players. Of those players maybe half have played regularly – three we’ve hardly seen of which two are no longer with us. To be fair Scott has sort of apologised and said that some of his signings haven’t lived up to expectations.

He has then, over the season, brought in other players on loan – in fact, on Saturday we started with four loanees and then subbed one for another.

Fair enough I suppose, but this, to me, seems strange from a man who said he wants to ‘build’ a team. I really don’t see how you can build a team who play with confidence together when half of them are only here for a short time. And, yes I know players come out on loan to get games, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they go out to play as a team player – I would think they are more likely to want to be noticed and so want to play their own game.

But, are we being over critical? Have we been expecting too much?

The Chairman has backed the manager all the way so should the fans back him too?

Would it do the club any good sacking the manager and having to go through the process of getting another in now? Should he perhaps be expecting the sack in the summer? Was the decision to bring in Scott done in too much haste? If Scott was to go now, who would take over ‘between managers’? Presumably Paul Warne? Maybe it’s time we had a ‘director of football’ who could help out in these situations.

What is left for Scott this season? Do we really still believe we are going to get into the play-offs? Well, I suppose while there’s hope and all that. I know I jested yesterday about going into the Conference, but another couple of losses and I think we might be looking over our shoulders with a nervous glance and squeaky bums. Personally, I think that finishing above mid-table now is something he has to be looking at realistically. Anything above would probably be a bonus – though I know it’s not what we were all saying at the start of the season.

Where/When did it all go wrong? I don’t know. But, what I’m sure of is that you don’t become bad at your job overnight.

So should Scott still be here at the end of the season? Come and tell us your thoughts/ideas on Vital Rotherham.