How dashed hopes added to Christ Tiehi's Rotherham United frustration

Christ Tiehi in his Rotherham United playing days. Picture: Jim Brailsford

CHRIST Tiehi moved to Rotherham United chasing a Premier League dream, the club's chief operating officer, Paul Douglas, has revealed.

The French midfielder thought that playing for the Millers in the Championship could be the springboard to a move to a top flight side in English football.

When he found himself relegated to League One, Tiehi became disenchanted and missed his loved ones who couldn't live permanently in England because of EU regulations.

The 26-year-old, signed from Czech Republic side Slovan Liberec for a club-record fee, agitated for a return to the continent so that he could be with his family.

He duly signed for Hungarian team Diosgyori VTK in last month's transfer window after 18 months in South Yorkshire, with manager Steve Evans saying Rotherham had made a profit on their investment of around £500,000.

Douglas said: “Christ Tiehi came here, like a lot of foreign lads do, in the hope that a move to the Championship could bring them to the El Dorado of the Premier League.

“Unfortunately, it went the other way for him and he found himself in League One. His motivation maybe just slipped a little.

“Because he had no great allegiance to living in the UK, his advisors were scouring Europe for what options were out there and, ultimately, he moved to Hungary.

“The best thing we, as a club, could do, was make sure we got the best possible fee we could for him.”

Tiehi, who made 57 Millers appearances, was one of three January sales.

Centre-half Jamie McCart went back to Scotland to play for SPL team Hearts while left-back Cohen Bramall joined Championship Portsmouth on a short-term deal in the closing stages of the transfer window.

McCart and Bramall were both due to become free agents in the summer.

“An offer came in for Cohen which he was keen to pursue,” Douglas said.

“He was going to be out of contract at the end of the season and, after conversations we had, we weren't certain we were going to be successful in retaining him.

“It was decided that the best thing for the club would be for him to move on.”

Bramall, aged 28, has since made four substitute appearances for Pompey.