New boss Evans grilled on Millers future

With his reputation as a bullish, no-nonsense, kicking every ball on the touch line manager it was expected Steve Evans, the new boss at Don Valley Stadium, would be out to make a statement to those who would scrutinise his the closest in the final few games of the season, writes Matt Burgess.

Evans endured a two hour grilling as he was wheeled out to face the media yesterday with his Crawley past, Rotherham present and Rotherham future all being on the agenda.

The new boss came across as a man whose reputation preceded him.

He talked passionately on how he would like to see the club progress saying Rotherham are a Championship level club that need to be kick started to get out of League Two.

Results will need to come fast for Evans next season who knows if they don’t he will face the same fate of former boss Andy Scott who was appointed a year ago today.

Already in his personalised Rotherham tracksuit Evans promised fans will be impressed with the signings he makes over the summer months and with the promise of transfer money being available from chairman Tony Stewart the boss already has ideas of who he would like to bring in, although he is keeping that close to his chest for the time being.

With some fans debating the morality of the signing, who was given a suspended sentence after being found to be disguising wages and bonuses as expenses at Boston United, he said the past was bought up during talks with the chairman but it’s important to focus on the present.

Changes to the playing team will be made and “some players will be allowed to move on” the new manager said as he brushed over any specifics stating the who squad will be assessed.

The winning mentality of Evans was what attracted Stewart to signing his new charge as well as having the “drive and passion” to make the club succeed.

There was no doubt to Stewart that Evans was “head and shoulders” above the over candidates that stood for the job.

The bright lights of New York (stadium) also attracted the Scot to the Millers job with him already having visited the new stadium, which opens next season.

Speaking about his assistant manager, Paul Raynor, who was also poached from Crawley Evans said it was “essential” he made the move with him.

“He does a lot of work on the training ground. I work on the shape and he implements that.”

“If he hadn’t come, there’s a chance I wouldn’t be sitting here now.”

“We work well together, we’re very good friends off the field, but we are critical of each other if there are changes to be made.”

After guiding Crawley, who he says it was hard to move from, to almost back-to-back promotions the task of Evans to get Millers to the Championship is going to be a very hard one.

The first step of which chairman and manager hope will be a long partnership sees Evans first game away to Shrewsbury this Saturday.

Asked whether he would be changing his pitch side ways Evans said: “I’ll still head and kick every ball, and I’ll still be passionate.”

To read Evans’ views on a potential play-off clash with his former Crawley side read Friday’s Dinnington Guardian.