Lee Clark outlines his plan for Rotherham United's summer recruitment

The manager, who was initially appointed for a nine-match run-in last month, has yet to discover whether he will be offered a longer-term deal at AESSEAL New York Stadium by chairman Tony Stewart.

If he does remain in the hot-seat, he plans to rebuild the squad and wants most of the new arrivals to be in place by the time pre-season training begins at some stage near the end of June.

“I've always been a manager who wants to try to get in as many of the group that I'm going to work with as early as possible,” he said.

“Pre-season is crucial in getting your points across in terms of the tactical and technical side and is also the basis of the fitness work. I've talked about robustness, I've talked about fitness levels - and they're certainly areas that are important to me.

“To get those players and have them on board for the task ahead is what you've got to look to do. I think it's a difficult task sometimes. It's easier said than done, but that's what we're aiming to do.”

A large number of the players the Geordie inherited are set to depart New York after next Saturday’s closing day as Rotherham prepare for life in the fourth tier for the first time since the 2012/13 campaign.

Clark has been shocked by the frequency of injuries and would like physically hardier men at his disposal if he leads the mission to stop the rot after three years of misery for the Millers in which they have tumbled from the Championship to the EFL's bottom league.

“It's a reset, isn't it,” he said. “I think that when you have a season like this it shocks people into doing something a bit different, because something does have to be done differently in all aspects.

“So many players out of contract and loan players going back, that gives the opportunity to completely refresh the squad - new mentalities and new strengths of players going into a new division, which you'll need. You need different types of players at that level.

“There are lots of things that can be done, but it has to be done right and it has to be done fairly quickly. From when the season finishes to when the players come back, it's probably about eight weeks. It sounds long, but it isn't.”

He and Stewart are working closely together and have discussed the future, although there has been no indication so far on whether they will extend their partnership

“I've got to prepare as if the long term is in my hands,” the manager said. “The main object when I first came in was the nine games. That hasn't changed, but for the good of the club you do have to do the right thing.

“As I've said many times, this club's got lots of positives about it - lots of great people, a great set of fans. What's happened on the pitch hasn't been good enough, everyone knows that, but you still have to do the right things in preparation for what will be a huge summer and then, obviously, a fresh season.”

When asked if he would appreciate clarification on his position, he replied: “Listen it's difficult. I understand what's going on. There's communication all the time - every single day - with the chairman, and the same with other people behind the scenes.

“It doesn't matter what the scenario is and where we're at, my focus has to be on trying to do the right things and deliver the right things to the players in preparation for the remaining games.

“That's what I'm doing, but, obviously, in the background I'm having ongoing conversations.”