AFC Wimbledon v Rotherham United - ‘If it’s a success I’m a genius, if it isn’t I’m a failure,’ says Paul Warne on new style

There has been no looking back in anger for Paul Warne following Rotherham United’s relegation from the Championship.
Paul Warne: On the attack.Paul Warne: On the attack.
Paul Warne: On the attack.

The Millers manager felt pride rather than shame in his team’s spirited but ultimately unsuccessful survival attempt.

“I didn’t go round Meadowhall with a bag on my head or anything like that,” quipped the Millers chief.

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Still bubbling inside the 46-year-old is an ‘attacking frustration’ which is about to be unleashed upon League One.

Rotherham are expected to line-up in their new 4-3-3 system at AFC Wimbledon today. Although it is a formation mainly borne out of the players that Warne has at his disposal, it is also a by-product of last season’s experience in the Championship. The shackles are about to be released.

“Seventy-five per cent is down to the players I have available,” said Warne, on his side’s new shape.

“I have tried to sign wingers and I still will. I’m not saying that we can play 4-3-3 every game but we’ll try to, if we can.

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“Obviously, if we lose our first three games then people will be looking at me to change it. We want to get the best players on the pitch.

“I’ve got five very good central midfielders and five very good strikers so the more of them I can get on the pitch the better.

“We were going to play a 3-5-2 but then we decided to go this way.

“Whenever we tried to play two up top last year, because of the strength of the league, we just got battered.

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“I think I’ve got a lot of attacking frustration in me so I feel like flipping the coin over and going this way.

“It might come crashing down on me but I want us to be fearless.

“I’m not saying we’ll be like a Kevin Keegan team and out-scoring teams 5-4 but, hopefully, it will give us some joy.

“With the players we’ve got, it makes sense to try and put my most attacking team out. If it’s a success I’m a genius, if it isn’t I’m a failure.”