Rotherham United boss Alex Bruce on job talk plus clarification on player absence

Rotherham's elimination from the EFL Trophy was confirmed following a 1-0 home reverse to Newcastle United under-21s in front of a crowd of just 805.

The only goal of the game arrived on 34 minutes through Magpies player Kyran Thompson, with the north-easterners progressing to the next stage alongside Northern Group C winners Bradford City. The Millers did not muster an effort on target in the second period.

Bruce's side have not win a competitive game since September 19. They visit Bromley in the FA Cup this weekend and are 22nd in League Two.

Asked whether his job is in jeopardy, Bruce said: "It's not about me. If there's a fight to be had, I'll have it, but I know the buck stops with me."

On his side's winless streak extending, he continued: "In large parts of it, there wasn't really that much in the game.

"They counter-attacked us in the first half and scored. We didn't do enough to win the game. I think we huffed and puffed.

"As I've just said to the players in the dressing room, to win football matches, you have to show a little bit more than that. If we are going to get out of the trouble that we're in, we need to start showing a bit more than we did."

Despite being available for the competition, Jili Buyabu - dismissed for elbowing a Swindon Town player in last Saturday's League Two fixture - was not involved, with Bruce revealing he had been ordered to stay away from the training ground following his senseless dismissal.

Bruce continued: "I've not seen him since the Swindon game.

"He's stayed away for a couple of days. I told him to stay away. He's back in on Thursday, so we'll look at things then.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise why he's not been involved.

"I accept people make mistakes, I don't accept certain other things. When he comes back into the group, he needs to show an appetite to wear the shirt in the right way. On Saturday, he didn't do that."