Rotherham United Manager Paul Warne told Freeview that the Millers needed that second goal this afternoon.
‘I thought the first half we were excellent,’ the Millers Boss said after the three-one defeat at home to Birmingham City, ‘and at half-time it was looking very good. We told the lads they had to getting that second goal was crucial. Birmingham changed their system which asked us questions we hadn’t got answers for.’
Personally, I wouldn’t have said ‘excellent’. We looked OK but City had started to ask those questions in the latter part of the first half and, to be honest, I never thought we were going to keep a clean sheet.
We got stretched, I wouldn’t say they battered us but it was close, we made silly fouls and as the game went on we lost our confidence.
A friend said, ‘we can’t defend a lead’ at times we couldn’t even defend a corner.
Warney also said in his post match interview that we didn’t have enough quality against a very good Birmingham side – and, I think, he’s hit the nail on the head there. They are all great lads those in a red shirt but not all great lads make good footballers. They usually play as a team but one has an off day and it seems to spread like wild fire. If we go down and I really do think it’s a formality now, for us to get back into the Championship I believe we need to spend some ‘real’ money on the playing staff. In the summer we’ve got to build a Championship team.
The Officials weren’t the best again and there were quite a few decisions that incensed the fans and players so must have done the same to the Millers sat on the bench. It doesn’t help but we didn’t lose because of poor officials today, we lost because we weren’t good enough.
‘It’s a bitter one to swallow today,’ said Warne, ‘because it was a great opportunity to win a football game. There were periods in the second half when we didn’t play as well as we should. Birmingham deserved the three points.’
Two games to play and the fat lady is getting ready – but, while there’s hope, however slim, we’ve got to take it.