Hope at last for Rotherham United's Tolaji Bola

The defender hasn't kicked a ball in anger for more than four months after being deemed surplus to requirements by former manager Matt Taylor who didn't even register him with the EFL in the summer.

Attempts to engineer a loan move for the former Arsenal youngster who turned 24 last week came to nothing, leaving the player with no competitive action to look forward to.

Richardson took over as head coach in December after Taylor was sacked and one of his aims this month is to provide a pathway to Bola lacing up his boots in earnest again.

“He's a fantastic person, a fantastic professional,” the new man said. “He wasn't named in the 25-man squad but since I've been here he's been a large part of the group.

“He trains every day superbly well. I'll help as much as I can when people are like that.”

The left-back who is equally comfortable as a wing-back is one of the fittest members of the squad and ran the second-fastest mile ever recorded in the time trial that used to be held at the club's Roundwood complex.

His figures of five minutes three seconds were bettered only by midfielder Matt Crooks, the sole Miller to break the five-minute barrier.

Having been signed on from the Gunners during Paul Warne's tenure in 2021, Bola has never established himself as a first-team regular with Rotherham.

He made only 13 appearances in the League One promotion season and just two in the Championship survival campaign before the arrival of Taylor who loaned him out to League Two Bradford City last January.

This term, he had two second-tier outings as a substitute and played twice in the League Cup then failed to make the cut when the Millers finalised their numbers at the end of August.

Richardson is offering no guarantee of a squad place for him at the end of this window but doesn't want the present situation to continue.It may be that the player is allowed to leave, either on a permanent deal or a loan one.

“Whatever direction it goes in, I'll help him, whether it's playing for Rotherham or playing for somebody else,” the boss said. “It's about where the individual wants to be, first and foremost. From there, we'll do our best.”

Bola's contract at AESSEAL New York Stadium is due to expire at the end of the season.