Rotherham United v Norwich City - Mum’s the word for Millers boss Paul Warne

Today, as he watches Rotherham United in action against hometown club Norwich remotely from his home in Tickhill – while he continues to self-isolate – it will come from an unlikely source. His mum Jenny.

A meeting against Norwich is always a special one for the whole Warne family, who have yellow and green in their blood alongside their obvious affiliations to the Millers.

The Rotherham chief is likely to ‘virtually’ catch up with his loved ones back ‘home’ in Norfolk after today’s game, although he expects the text messages to flow with his mum as he takes his unique vantage point to watch this afternoon.

Warne, a regular at Carrow Road when he was a child, said: “I will definitely be speaking to my mum, bless her. Since I have lost my father, she has become the football encyclopaedia and she has taken the mantle right off him.

“In fairness to her, she has watched as much football as I have in my life and she is pretty knowledgeable and I am looking forward to her texting me during the game saying: ‘look, your left-back has got to bomb on more’ or ‘why are your set-pieces still going out of the back.’

“I will be saying: ‘Oh come on, mum – give me a break!. I have got to speak to the lads in three minutes...

“But it is quite nice and it makes me feel more like a son than a dad when your mum is telling you off.

“I am actually pleased that if I am going to miss a game, ironically this is the best one as the lads will know I am there in spirit, that is for sure.

“The game does mean more to me because I am looking at the badge I drew as a kid in primary school and won a certificate for my artwork.

“The game always makes me think of my dad. It makes me think back to how I felt when I was eight years old, running home, getting my first Norwich kit and watching Italy versus Brazil in the World Cup, which is still my favourite game of all time.”

A devoted family man, Warne prided himself on the closeness of his Millers squad, which is rich in committed footballers, but also ‘good characters’, something that he references continually during his renaissance work at the club.

It will ensure that even without him being at the AESSEAL New York Stadium today that his players will know what this fixture means to him.

It is, as he is the first to acknowledge, no ordinary game and always a special one for him.

Professionalism and fastidious attention to detail to the nth degree is something that Warne and his staff are also noted for and it is why he is secure in the knowledge that his players will be in good hands today in his absence.

Barker and Hamshaw will direct operations from the dug-out as the Millers seek to record their first home win at this level since April, 2019 and Warne feels blessed in that regard.

He said: “It is no drama I am not there as Richie can easily take my mantle over and Hammy will definitely become a manager in later life. Those two are more than capable.

“I have not spoken about how they will cope with it. Maybe because I am not that narcissistic that I think the world stops because I am not there. I don’t even think they will probably miss me!

“It is a weird one. The lads have trained really well this week; the best I have seen them train worryingly.

“Whether they have trained really well because we have changed it or they know what I am like as I literally sit there and watch every minute of it (remotely), I don’t know what the difference is.”

In terms of his involvement in the dressing room via the wonders of Zoom, Warne is likely to be selective this afternoon.

A pre-match message will probably be recorded and there will be some input at the interval and afterwards, but it will possibly be a case of ‘less is more’ due to the full confidence that he has in his assistants.

Warne added: “I will possibly record them (his players) a message before they go out. I will probably let Richie take the tactical review and might just record a personal ‘gee up’.

“At half-time, I think I will be on a Zoom call for the first two minutes and then tell them what I think and thank them for their efforts after the game. That is what I want to do.”

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James Mitchinson