Rotherham United v Blackburn Rovers: Matt Taylor on the dangers of looking ahead to September and his desire to blank out the noise from the Championship doubters

August is invariably disruptive with the league schedule showing no mercy and squads not finalised. Rotherham United, wrestling with squad and injury issues with their numbers significantly lighter than virtually all of their second-tier rivals, know the feeling already.

Not that Matt Taylor can look as far ahead to autumn, much as he would like to.

His Millers side, heavily beaten 4-1 at Stoke City on the opening day, must face four more teams with varying degrees of promotion aspirations before then in Blackburn, Sunderland, Leicester and Norwich – ahead of facing Huddersfield on September 16.

A bad start could set the narrative, just as last season's strong opening, which saw United pick up 10 points from the first seven matches before the first international hiatus, did.

On avoiding the urge to look ahead, Taylor said: "We want points on the board before that. No manager can afford to wait or team.

"You want a good start and to feel good about yourselves. You want to play well and get points, at this stage. Let alone ten games down the line.

"We will have a better idea of our competition in terms of other league positions at that point and assess what we are up against and better idea of opposition teams.

"Everyone will have a better idea at that point, but before then, let's try and get some points and scoring goals to get back to where our feeling needs to be in order to being a competitive Championship team."

Last weekend's humbling in the Potteries has reinforced the view of countless pundits that the Millers are in for a season of struggle at the wrong end of the table.

For his part, Taylor is blanking out the noise and is single-minded in that regard. It goes with the territory when you are a Rotherham manager at this level.

He continued: "I personally don't take much attention and have my own feelings and am pretty stubborn in relation to that.

"Everyone is entitled to their opinions, whether it's a pundit saying we are not playing well or 'we are getting relegated.'

"That's their opinion and part and parcel of life. What we can't have if that affecting what happens next in any way whatsoever. We know what we are against and the challenge."