Matt Hamshaw sees something of Matt Crooks in one of the youngsters he wants to keep at Rotherham United
ROTHERHAM United could have a young version of Matt Crooks on their hands in teenage prospect Hamish Douglas, manager Matt Hamshaw believes.
Crooks is the 6ft 4in goalscoring midfielder who made his name with the Millers between 2019 and 2021 before going on to play for Middlesbrough, MLS side Real Salt Lake and Hull City.
Douglas is of a similar frame and has just been offered a deal to stay at AESSEAL New York Stadium now that his present two-and-a-half-year deal is about to expire.
The 19-year-old has caught Hamshaw's eye since the boss's March appointment and made two substitute appearances off the bench in the League One run-in.
“We'll see how we get on with him,” the manager said. “Hopefully he stays and impresses me in pre-season. To be fair, from the minute I walked in he's really impressed me. He does extras every day. He's a great shape and size.”
Douglas, who came through Rotherham's youth set-up, has excelled on loan at non-league Warrington Town this season where he was a regular starter in the heart of the defence.
However, Hamshaw believes that the player's future could lie in a different role.
“I'm still not convinced that he's a centre-back,” the boss said. “I don't want to talk him up too much, but he reminds me of Crooksy: his size, his frame, his fitness. He can get up and down the pitch, I think he can nip in with goals.”
Hamshaw is keen for Douglas to remain at New York, believing the youngster has earned the right to press his claim for more senior action.
“We should have a profile at this club where young players come up to the first-team environment and go out on loan to help their development,” he said.
“He went to Warrington and had a really successful loan there. He played a lot of games and got one of their ‘Player of the Season’ awards. The lad has ticked every box that we've asked him to.”