Rotherham United v Lincoln City: No more Mr Nice Guy after Steve Evans' chat with chairman

After a chat with his chairman, Steve Evans is hoping a tougher persona can kick-start Rotherham United’s season.

The Millers host Lincoln City on Tuesday, sitting two points above League One’s relegation zone.

But a period of just one league and one cup game in nearly four weeks has allowed for some reflection and has seen Evans adopt a harder approach than he began his second spell as Rotherham manager with. It has also allowed the injuries and illnesses Evans thinks has been a major factor, to clear.

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"Have I got to look at myself and think I've been a bit soft at times, a bit more compassionate, because of the circumstances in the last two years at the club? Yes," said Evans.

DIFFERENT MINDSET: Rotherham United manager Steve EvansDIFFERENT MINDSET: Rotherham United manager Steve Evans
DIFFERENT MINDSET: Rotherham United manager Steve Evans

"The chairman (Tony Stewart) said to me: 'Pretend that you're walking in here for the first time and I've told you we're in a mess and you need to sort it. How would you act?' I replied: 'Differently to now.'

"He said: 'Come back tomorrow as if you're walking in for the first time.' That's what I've done since our meeting a week last Monday."

Evans inherited a side doomed to Championship relegation in April and despite revamping the squad, has been unable to get them going again. Having taken the club from League Two to the Championship in consecutive seasons in his first spell, Evans believes he has not been shown the same patience others would get during what he calls the toughest run of his career.

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"I go back to Paul Warne, the most successful manager here in decades in terms of promotions and trips to Wembley – Paul needed time and he got time," he argued.

ILLNESS: Liam Kelly (right)ILLNESS: Liam Kelly (right)
ILLNESS: Liam Kelly (right)

"But when you're Steve Evans walking back into this football club, time is not afforded to you.

"Expectations come when I walk in. If you brought Joe Brown in they'd say he needs time, he needs a window, he's got two years of mess.

"I have to produce and at the minute I'm failing to do that so I have to get myself right. I'm responsible for my players getting their form right."

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As Yorkshire's sacking season began last week with the dismissal of Hull City's Tim Walter after only 18 games, it could be countered that actually Evans' record has worked in his favour. He has certainly felt the support of chairman Stewart and is determined to repay it.

"You always need a good leader above you to remind you of your own strengths," he said. "Everyone shouts at our weaknesses.

"I'm 30 years in management and I've never had a run like this ever.

"If a train goes into a dark tunnel and breaks down or it's stuttering do you throw your ticket out of the window or do you say, 'Let's give this a little bit of time, it'll come around'?"

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Asked how Rotherham have used an unusual amount of training-ground time, Evans replied: "Different ways of playing, different shapes, different models, more clarity, more assertiveness. That's easier to do when you've got an idea of who your starting XI's going to be.

"We've done some real work on the shape with the coaching staff.

"After the Crawley game we needed a couple of days to clear the illness but the weekend has been really good – real intense work and more clarity for each player.

"Players love to know they're going to be playing tomorrow – we've not been able to do that. At one point our physio had nine people in there between injury and illness. Probably of those nine, if everyone's available seven would start."

But that has changed now.

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"Only Liam Kelly missed training on Sunday," said Evans. "He had a little bit of illness. Liam's yet to really recover from what I think was Covid.

"In terms of players being available for selection, we're in the best place we've been since the first few days of pre-season.

"Match fitness to go for 95 minutes? I think not with three or four of them but adrenaline often pulls you through.”

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