Banned Evans may take command from his living room

STEVE Evans has revealed he is hoping to direct operations from his front room when his Rotherham United side host Torquay United at the New York Stadium tomorrow.

The Millers boss will serve the first game of a six-match stadium ban imposed by the Football 
Association earlier this week for using abusive and insulting words and behaviour with a reference to gender. And he says the club are looking into the possibility of live streaming tomorrow’s match to his TV at home subject to Football League approval.

That would enable Evans to keep in touch with assistant boss Paul Raynor via phone and relay orders as the match unfolds, although he admits the likelihood of being able to watch the game live is a slim one.

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If he cannot see the game on a live feed, Evans will instead head to AFC Wimbledon to carry out a scouting brief on the Millers’ midweek opponents Rochdale.

But first he will conduct a team talk in a hotel tomorrow morning before heading south.

Evans, who insists his managerial style will not change in the wake of the ban, said: “We’re still working on the possibility, albeit a small one, that we can get the game streamed live.

“If so, I won’t be watching the opposition, I’ll be sitting in a room watching and speaking to Paul. We’re just waiting clarification.

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“The way technology works, I know there’s a number of chairmen in the Football League and directors who when they are overseas or away can get the games streamed live to them in the comfort of where they are.

“We’re looking into it; we are clear we can do it and we are just looking to see if we are okay to do it.

“It (the ban) will be tough, but I will be back. It will not change me and I’ll still have the same passion and commitment.”

If the Scot has limited input and cannot see live footage of the game, Evans – who has praised the ‘incredible support’ of chairman Tony Stewart – insists he could not have a better person to stand in for him in the dug-out than No 2 Paul Raynor.

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The pair have worked together previously at Boston United and Crawley Town and Evans is backing his deputy to prove an able matchday stand-in.

He added: “Paul does the bulk of things anyway in terms of doing the sidelines coaching, instructing and bellowing.

“He’s never going to change, whether I’m there or not. That’s the nature of the man.

“In the whole of football, I couldn’t wish to have a more loyal, dedicated and knowledgeable guy standing there doing that for me.

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“There’s also the likes of Paul Warne and Dibbo (Andy Dibble) and I use these guys every matchday and they have an input in decisions we make in terms of substitutions and tactics.

“And Paul will use them on Saturday – it would be criminal not to.

“I’ve got to trust my staff. If I didn’t trust them, I wouldn’t have them here, would I?”

Meanwhile, the Millers are sweating over the fitness of talismanic midfielder Kari Arnason, who twisted his ankle on international duty for Iceland this week.