An Interview with a Rival... Rotherham United

Ahead of today’s Yorkshire Clsh with Rotherham United, Jack Fawcus spoke about his predictions early in the season and his expectations for the game.

I would just like to say thank you to WeallloveLeeds for the opportunity of doing a preview for the upcoming game on Saturday.

Before we played Leeds in August I predicted that Leeds, Middlesbrough and Forest would be promoted. I still believe that Leeds will be promoted, but it’s clearly been a disappointing season for both Forest and Middlesbrough. I’m surprised by how well Norwich and Sheff Utd have done and now predict the top 3 will be Leeds, Norwich and West Brom.

Leeds’ form has been very impressive and the early season speculation that Bielsa’s pressing style would wear out his players has yet to come true. Some clever acquisitions in the summer and some emerging impressive youth players has kept the squad fresh. An ambitious transfer window move or two would help you but everything looks on target from my outsiders view!

On the other side of the table, in August I predicted that Bolton, QPR and Birmingham would struggle. I still believe Bolton will go down due to the ongoing issue with the Anderson family, financial difficulties, the Christian Doidge saga and unpaid staff. Surely administration is a possibility and an EFL points deductions. Birmingham under your ex manager Monk have flourished and seem to be coping despite their own financial difficulties, whilst after a terrible start QPR invested well in late August and have had some wonderful winning runs so will be comfortably in the top half of the table in may.

As I write this, Rotherham sit just outside the bottom 3 which in many respects is an over-achievement for a club with 8000 supporters and a budget which is bettered by many division 1 clubs.

Some excellent results against Derby and Swansea and a long unbeaten run in late autumn gave us hope but in recent months reality is setting in and points are hard to obtain. We go into the Leeds game on the back of some stinging defeats and a point or 3 is much needed. Sadly the transfer window hasn’t yet provided us with much needed reinforcements and the squad is looking small and in need of freshening up.

However, we remain hopeful that our excellent manager can continue to work his magic and know that even if we are relegated it won’t be through lack of effort. Our manager Paul Warne has impressed many this season with his methods, respect for opposition and his press conferences. His relaxed comments in the Yorkshire Post on spygate were in sharp contrast to the frenzy elsewhere.

Finally on to Saturdays game. Must be a shock to you guys to be playing a local game at 3 o’clock on a Saturday! I have a sneaking suspicion we might get something. We normally raise our game for the bigger teams and a loud crowd certainly lifts our boys. I would take a point now though!

Your record at Rotherham isn’t great but you certainly have the players to hurt us. I really like Roofe and Douglas whilst Clarke looks an exciting prospect. We will try & press your players & hope to profit from long balls to the tireless Michael Smith and look to cause trouble at set pieces. Izzy Brown was a favourite when on loan a few years ago and the ex-player curse wouldn’t surprise me.

I’m expecting a decent game with a great atmosphere. Enjoy your trip to New York and good luck for the rest of the season (after Saturday of course)

I think Rotherham will sneak a 2-1 win on Saturday as its much needed after last weeks result against Brentford saying that though leeds will want a win after leeks week result v Stoke.But I think Michael Smith and Will Vaulks will get the goals for Rotherham whilst Kemar Roofe will get the goal for Leeds.

We’d like to thank Jack for his fantastic preview and wish him the best of the luck for the season.

By Keith Ingham