Matt Hamshaw on why he's let Dillon Phillips, Andre Green and Alex MacDonald leave Rotherham United
MANAGER Matt Hamshaw has revealed his reasons for deciding to bring the Rotherham United careers of three senior players to an end.
The new boss has chosen not to offer new deals to out-of-contract trio Dillon Phillips, Andre Green and Alex MacDonald and their departures were confirmed when the club published its retained list this afternoon.
Hamshaw said of goalkeeper Phillips “I just feel like for both parties it hasn't worked” while he cited Green's injury issues for the attacker's exit.
Thirty-five-year-old midfielder Alex MacDonald, who hasn't played since January because of a hip problem, has been released because the Millers are seeking to build a younger squad for next term's League One campaign.
Phillips and Green, signed during the reign of Matt Taylor, have spent two years at AESSEAL New York Stadium while MacDonald, who was brought in by recently-sacked Steve Evans, has been with Rotherham for a single season.
Phillips, aged 29, was understudy to Viktor Johansson in the Championship but was a first-choice selection for much of the 2024/25 third-tier campaign, making 35 league appearances.
His form was up and down and Hamshaw, who took the hot-seat in late March, said: “People have their opinions of him. He's been really good since I've been at the club.
“I just feel like for both parties it hasn't worked. Dillon might say exactly the same as me on that. I wish him nothing but the best. He's an amazing kid who's had an amazing career so far. I'm sure that will carry on.”
Green suffered a rupture to an Achilles tendon soon after his arrival and managed only 26 outings in total.
The manager has parted company with the 26-year-old even though he is an admirer of the player's talents and was part of former boss Paul Warne's backroom staff when Warne tried to bring the Aston Villa old boy to S60 in the past
“I'm a big fan of Andre's, I always have been,” Hamshaw said. “I've watched his career closely. We tried to sign him ourselves at Rotherham a couple of times.
“It was just down to injuries really. We're after people who are resilient and can play games. The club hasn't seen the best of Andre and he probably hasn't seen the best of the club. It's a sad one but one that we have to move on from.”
MacDonald, who has been signed by Evans at four different clubs, played 19 times before requiring surgery on a hip complaint. He had just returned to outdoor training when the season ended last Saturday.
“Maybe it was a bit of a harsh one because I haven't seen a lot of him,” Hamshaw said. “We're trying to bring the average age down. Alex falls into that bracket of being an older player.”