Warne turns attention to season opener

MILLERS manager Paul Warne is expecting contrasting weeks on the training pitch for himself and opposite number Uwe Rosler as he turns his sights to Saturday’s League One opener at Fleetwood.

Rosler’s side – who finished in the third tier play-off places last season – suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat on Friday night at the hands of Championship side Preston North End in their final warm up match, while the Millers comfortably brushed aside Barnsley 4-0.

That sets both managers up with different priorities leading up to the big kick off but makes the aim of beating the Lancashire outfit no easier, according to Warne.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “I do know that mine and Uwe's jobs are possibly different. If we'd lost heavily, I wouldn't have taken it as a negative. 

“I know that sounds stupid, but I could have used that as a motivating factor to get under the ribs of the lads in them having something to prove next week. 

“When you win, you have to try and bring them down to earth a little bit and not wax lyrical too much and tell them they are all great. At parts, they weren't. Our weeks will be different prep.”

Jamie Proctor fires home his second against Barnsley

The Trawlermen lost 1-0 over two legs against Bradford in last year’s play-off semi-final and Warne is eager to use the opening day fixture as a benchmark of where his team currently stand.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added: “Fleetwood were in the play-offs last year and it will be a hell of a game for us to start and a good judge to see where we are. 

“If we narrowly defeat them, lose heavily or win by a lot, it will be a good litmus paper to see realistically where we could be. “I know the first game doesn't define your season, but it is a good judge to see roughly where you are.”