Paul Warne's update on Rotherham United trialist Julien Lamy and the Millers boss talks about the QPR job link
Millers manager Paul Warne, who is on Queen's Park Rangers list of potential candidates for their vacant hot-seat, says he intends to reach a verdict next week.
Frenchman Lamy has left Rotherham after a three-week trial to train at another club and the boss is prepared to risk losing him rather than being rushed into a decision.
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Hide Ad"We're still in contact with him," said Warne. "He's 19 and it's not that I want to collect loads of players who are that age and give them opportunities, but we have to be creative and clever in our recruitment. It might be something that we do.
"I liked him as a lad and as a player. If he did sign tomorrow, he's a long way off being in the first team, but he's someone we could possibly work with.
"If it doesn't happen here, I'm sure he will have a career somewhere else. I haven't shut the door on it, that's for sure."
Bookmakers have made Warne, whose team are at home to Nottingham Forest in the Championship on Saturday, second favourite for the QPR job.
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Hide AdAfter sacking Steve McClaren, Rangers are looking to slash their wage bill and the job the Rotherham boss has done on a limited budget at AESSEAL New York Stadium hasn't gone unnoticed.
Tim Sherwood is the front-runner for the role, but the Millers could have a fight on their hands to hang on to the manager who won promotion last season and has kept them in the hunt for second-tier survival this term if the West London outfit do come calling.
"It's nice to be linked to a job because, sincerely, I think it shows how well the lads have done this season," Warne said. "In a weird way, it's a recommendation of everyone here - the staff and the players - and how hard they've worked to make this team competitive.
"With all due respect, it's not often that managers at Rotherham get linked to other jobs. We've had international call-ups for some of our lads this season, and if I'm being linked to jobs then we must be doing something right."
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Hide AdThe Millers have a recruitment meeting planned for today (Friday) after earlier this week appointing Rob Scott and Chris Trotter to lead a restructuring of their talent-spotting department.
"They're hitting the ground running and trying to play 'catch up, which is essential seeing as we're in April and need to plan for the summer," said Warne.
The boss is targeting victory over Forest as third-from-bottom Rotherham, who have seven matches left, look to hit back from last weekend's 6-1 defeat at Derby County and wipe out the one-point gap between them and a position of safety.
"Forest have been on a good run and got themselves up and around the play-offs again," he said. "The way they play isn't totally dissimilar to us.
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Hide AdThey've got really good wingers who come inside and they got two top frontmen in Lewis Grabban and Daryl Murphy. They're really hard-working and good on set-pieces.
"We are at home so we will try to impose ourselves on the game and win it.
"There were a lot of reasons for our performance last week. I suppose if you do get a good drumming it at least resets a few things. It has allowed us to tighten up the ship a bit this week.
"I'd like to see a reaction against Forest. We need a response with so few games left."
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MATTOCK CONCERN
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Hide AdROTHERHAM United are sweating on the availability of left-back Joe Mattock for this weekend's Championship home clash with Nottingham Forest.
The 28-year-old has completed a two-match ban but went down sick and missed training yesterday (Thursday).
"We're not sure about him for Saturday yet," said manager Paul Warne. " We're hoping it's just a bug that passes pretty quickly and he's okay to train on Friday."
The Millers' numbers are boosted by the returns of centre-half Clark Robertson, midfielder Will Vaulks and striker Michael Smith after injury, suspension and illness respectively.
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Hide AdForward Vassell pressed his claims for a place on the bench against Forest by scoring twice in the reserves' 4-0 win over Grimsby Town on Tuesday, his first outing since groin surgery two months ago.
"He's a step closer to the first team," Warne said. "He could possibly make the squad for this weekend. We'll see how he gets through the next couple of days."