Alex Bruce on the prospect of Rotherham United new arrivals in next few days
ALEX Bruce is setting his sights on almost doubling the number of summer signings Rotherham United have made in the next week.
So far, the League Two Millers have added four fresh faces to squad in desperate need of strengthening before the League Two campaign kicks off on August 15.
The new head coach is optimistic a trio of arrivals will come through the door at AESSEAL New York Stadium by next weekend.
"It would be nice," he said. "There are two or three that we've highlighted, so, hopefully, we can get them done."
There were four incomings in the space of a fortnight soon after Bruce's late-June appointment but since then there had been a dearth of activity stretching beyond two weeks.
Rotherham, who have around a dozen senior pros on their books, face West Bromwich Albion in the Carabao Cup on August 8 before their fourth-tier opening-day clash to Cheltenham Town.
Bruce believes his squad will be competitive even if they are still lacking bodies by the time the Baggies head to New York and the Millers gear up for their trip to Whaddon Road.
"That's what I'll demand," he said. "Even if I've got only 12 players to go with, I'll expect that we represent this football club in the right way.
"We won't have 12 players, we'll have more. We'll just have to see what kind of numbers we can get to. We have to find the right individuals.
Things are ongoing in the background and I'm sure over the next couple of weeks, supporters and everyone associated with Rotherham will start seeing a few things happen."
All four of the new boys - attacker Fabio Tavares, winger Aaron Nemane and midfielders Ossama Ashley and Jamie Jellis - played in pre-season games at Matlock Town and at Alfreton Town and then in the home friendly against Sheffield United.
"I've been relatively pleased with them," Bruce said. "Aaron is getting up to speed slowly but surely. Similar can be said about Ossama. He had an injury towards the back end of last season so he hasn't played a lot of football in a long time. You can see him gradually getting better.
"Fabio has had a good pre-season and you've got Jamie Jellis who has had a very good pre-season. The four lads who have come in have had an impact. When I'm bringing new players into the building, that's what I want."