Matt Taylor on Rotherham United's waiting game over new additions and contract renewals

The Millers confirmed their Championship place on May 1, and with Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday and Leicester City completing next season's line-up, it looks like being an exciting but daunting campaign for a club who cannot compete with many on resources, so have to do so in other ways.

This is Taylor's first pre-season in charge having succeeded Paul Warne in October and a number of targets and/or their clubs have been contacted about transfers, but Rotherham have to wait for the natural pecking order to take its course.

With the players on holiday, Taylor is also relaxed about Tyler Blackett, Sean Morrison, Chiedozie Ogbene, Lee Peltier and Josh Vickers mulling over offers of new contracts.

"We had a week-and-a-half's worth of meetings with players initially, then staff, trying to shape next season and have a bit of a restructure," said Taylor.

"Our levels of expectation of our own standards on a daily basis will have to improve.

"(Those offered new deals) have to assess their options. We accept where we are right now and where we want to be but we also understand if these players don't re-sign where we are looking at elsewhere.

"We've got an idea of what we want to be working with as the basis of the squad, which is why those offers went out straight away. That's the foundation we want to build a competitive squad on top of.

"It's important we do mention the players under contract as well because while everyone else will get the headlines, our contracted players are the most important ones because they're our guarantees for next season.

"Hopefully, there will be the positive news of existing players re-signing."

The biggest challenge will be signing new players, with the Millers unable to muscle their way to the front of the queue.

"Recruitment can drive you mad if you let it but it can also get you a little bit excited," admitted Taylor. "One enjoyable aspect of a manager's job is building a squad and shaping it towards what you want to see on the pitch.

"We have to produce an identity of the club, the fanbase and the town and find a way to add skill and creation on top of it.

"The market is now active and we are fully in it, continuing the work of the last six to eight months concerning targets and where we sit in the pecking order of being able to speak to these players and put offers in front of them.

"May's quite slow and the start of June is quite slow and frustrating but at least we are in these conversations. It's just where we are and what we can expect."

Meanwhile work is going on behind the scenes to improve facilities at Rotherham's Roundwood training ground, and Taylor is on the look-out for additions to his backroom staff.

A pre-season training camp in Spain has been booked and friendlies against Lincoln City, Mansfield Town and Parkgate arranged.