Bristol Rovers v Rotherham United: Steve McClaren on Millers 'paradise'

In comparison, Rotherham United’s Roundwood training ground is.

If that doesn’t tell you that the former England manager - 'not quite’ at the pension age of 67 just yet as he puts it - is a proper football man, nothing will.

The next stage of the Yorkshireman’s career in the game as the Millers' head of football has been a whirlwind, but rewarding thus far.

He has just overseen his first transfer window at the club. The fact that Rotherham only had seven or eight first-team players in late June and have brought in 15 signings in the space of two months is an indicator of the work that McClaren and his team have had to get through.

For McClaren, plenty more besides has happened since he joined the club in May.

Bringing in a new head coach was the first step, which took time and wasn’t exactly straightforward.

Not to mention forging strong relationships in double-quick time with all club departments and trying to lift the mood after three hard years. Factor in 'selling' the club to prospective signings and being a bit of a cheerleader for the players and staff already here.

Then there’s getting up to speed with the level. McClaren, it’s fair to say, has limited experience of League Two. So far, he has been pleasantly surprised by the standard. And the daily working environment is just fine. Even if it’s not Manchester United, England or Middlesbrough.

McLaren said: "Honestly, people have said: ‘oh dear, it's bad here with the training grounds’…

"This is paradise to what we had in Jamaica and I was there for 18 months (as manager). With the resources (at Rotherham), this is paradise.

"That experience has really stood me in good stead to calm myself down. Two years previously, I was with Man United and getting anything that you possibly want in the world and how many people..

"I went from one extreme to the other. So my experience in the last four years has taught me to think: ’okay, even at League Two level, we can influence certain things.”

Calm was the operative word in terms of McLaren’s approach to the window that was.

Until Sam Nombe’s sale, which freed up funds, it didn’t truly get going.

McClaren, supported by recruitment operatives Rob Scott and Warren Spalding, did not panic. Good players - and good characters in his words – have arrived.

Working to a set budget - one which chairman Tony Stewart has allowed to go slightly over - a competitive squad has been put together.

On deadline day, the departure of Ar’Jany Martha back to the Netherlands enabled early summer target Kaladi Lolos to join on loan, alongside Huddersfield Town loan forward George Sebine. The Millers waited for the latter and patience paid off. With the window now closed, McClaren is looking to broaden his knowledge of the fourth tier and other divisions lower down as well.

Spotting a gem or two goes a long way at this level. Wyscout, the leading football database and video analysis tool, is one obvious aid, but seeing players in the flesh is also key.

That same sense of calm that McClaren has shown in the market also applies to results under a new coach in Alex Bruce, who is leading a new group who remain a work in progress. McLaren quipped: "I'm enjoying match day because he (Bruce) has got all the stress of the result!

"I know it's game to game, but I have to be a little bit more 'forward planning', so have to be calmer.

"All coaches need somebody outside and next to them to give them perspective on what's happening because you'll lose it very quickly. You could lose a game you don't deserve; you can win a game you don't deserve. That's perspective. I have to be calmer than when I was a coach. I was as mad as everybody else up and down the touchline, shouting away.

"I have to be detached and give an overview of: 'yes, short term we need to win, medium term we need to do this - but long term think of that.'

"I said it to Alex after the game the other night (at Tranmere), It looked like we were going to lose the game but I was still sat there - (after) a bad first half and improved second half - going: 'I can see something'.

"It's just germinating on the surface at the moment, but I can see something. Whereas normally I'd be going mad, killing them for the first half, now I'm more 'judge us as we go along'."