From Oldham 'stinker' to first-team regular ... Matt Hamshaw outlines his approach with emerging Rotherham United talent Hamish Douglas
HAMISH Douglas had just gone through arguably his worst-ever experience in football and all his manager did was laugh about it.
There was reasoning behind Matt Hamshaw's approach after the young Rotherham United centre-half – by his own admission – had “a bit of stinker” in his first outing of the season and never got as far as the second half.
The League One Millers were 2-0 down at home in the Vertu Trophy against League Two Oldham Athletic in early October and they fought back to win 3-2 only after the 20-year-old had been replaced.
This wasn't a time for any 'hairdryer' treatment.
“I didn't make a joke out of his performance,” Hamshaw said. “But I just laughed in a way of: ‘Look, Mate, don't worry about it.’ We've all had bad games, we've all had bad halves, we've all got dragged off at half-time.
“I didn't berate him, I didn't belittle him, I didn't have a pop at him, I just managed him in a way that I'd have wanted to be managed when I was a young player myself.”
Less than a month later, Douglas was stepping up for his first league start and has since delivered displays of a maturity beyond his tender years as the Millers have climbed towards the top 10.
“To come back in the way that he has speaks volumes about his character,” Hamshaw said.
The defender was handed a shirt because so many senior centre-backs were confined to the treatment room. He's started the last five matches and has been consistently impressive with experienced pros Joe Rafferty and Reece James either side of him in a three-man backline.
Hamshaw is loving what he's seeing but isn't getting carried away.
“Unless you are a bit of a childhood prodigy, generally you need a bit of luck to get an opportunity, then it's up to you what you do with it,” he said.
“You have to be good enough to take that chance, and I feel like Hamish has done that. But, at the same time, I'm well aware that things can hit a young player six, seven games into that stint.
“The first few games, you kind of ride on the crest of a wave and then everything hits you – physically, mentally. That's why you see a lot of managers put younger players in and take them out.
“If he keeps playing well, he'll stay in the team. We've got good players coming back into it, he's a good player himself. It'll be down to him.”
Born in Nottingham, 6ft 5in Douglas has been with the Millers for a number of years, coming through the youth ranks and living in digs in Wickersley with people he's come to regard as his second family.
Former boss Matt Taylor elevated him to the first-team set-up but then came tough times under Leam Richardson and Steve Evans and he went out on ‘growing up’ non-league loans to Gainsborough Trinity and Warrington Town.
These days, he works with a psychologist, stands up to any test on the pitch and is a vocal presence even though he's the most junior member of the side.
“He's obviously had issues at the club in the last couple of seasons,” Hamshaw said. “Things have been mentioned that I've read about. He's bounced back from adversity.
“His performances have been excellent. He played against a big, physical frontman in Ollie Palmer (Swindon Town, FA Cup) and did well, he faced really tough opposition in Lincoln City and Luton Town and kept clean sheets.
“Look, I wouldn't say that he's massively surprised me, but how well he's dealt with it all has been a nice surprise. Most managers probably wouldn't have even touched him again after Oldham. He's arguably been one of our best players in the last few games. Long may it continue.”
Rotherham's fitness problems at the back are easing. Thomas Holmes has just returned, Sean Raggett is ready to play again and Jamal Baptiste and Zak Jules aren't far behind.
For now, though, Douglas starts in front of all of them.
And if the youngster continues to build on what he's already achieved, his boss can laugh for happier reasons.