'It worries me' - Matt Hamshaw makes frank admission over Rotherham United future after loss at Burton Albion
Matt Hamshaw admitted to being worried about his future as Rotherham United manager after his side’s 1-0 loss to Burton Albion.
The ground beneath Hamshaw’s feet has looked increasingly unsteady of late and there has been plenty of anger from the stands.
Tyrese Shade notched the decisive goal at the Pirelli Stadium last night (February 17), piling pressure on Hamshaw.
Post-match, he insisted it is up to chairman Tony Stewart whether or not he stays in charge of the relegation-threatened League One club.
Matt Hamshaw on his Rotherham United future
He told BBC Radio Sheffield: “I’ve said all along, it worries me every day of every week. I understand it. If that’s on me and the chairman deems that on me, that’s up to the chairman. There’s not a lot I can do.
“All I can do is keep coming in and working as hard as I can, getting the best out of the group. I don’t think there was a lack of effort tonight or a lack of desire to run around for the badge, it was just a bit of a lack of quality.
“I understand the frustration [at] where we are and if that’s aimed at me, that’s aimed at me. I have to take that on board and try come out fighting.”
Anger from supporters
Travelling supporters made it abundantly clear they are running out of patience and Hamshaw was frank in his response regarding the jeers.
He said: “It kills me. It kills me, obviously singing songs about me, and all the rest of it. It was a difficult position to come in with, I’ve said that all along. I don’t think I’ve hidden away from that. I think we’re trying to be positive with the group.”
Match analysis
In his analysis of the game, Rotherham’s under-fire boss took aim at the decision-making of his struggling players.
He said: “They’re finding it difficult and results like this tonight, when you’re playing teams that are in and around you, make it even harder. I can see some of the younger ones, it affecting. Some of the older ones have been there, seen it, done it. I can probably expect a bit of a better reaction from them.
“I thought some of our decision-making towards the end of the game was really poor. I’m screaming ‘put it in the box’ and we’re trying to make an extra pass and then vice-versa first-half. I’m screaming to play an extra pass and they’re going long aimlessly.
“They’re the bits that frustrate me because we do the work, we do it in training, and then it comes to matchdays, and I don’t mind admitting this, some of them at times tonight froze. In other instances, you saw what we are capable of without that cutting edge at the end.”