Steve McClaren addresses job rumour over Rotherham United's Alex Bruce

Head coach Alex Bruce's position with Rotherham United has been safe ever since he came to AESSEAL New York Stadium, it was revealed this afternoon.

Head of football Steve McClaren met with the media and one of the matters he addressed was reports from elsewhere that the 42-year-old might have lost his job if the Newport County match earlier this month had ended in defeat.

Bruce, at the helm since the end of June, has been charged with leading a revival after three miserable seasons in S60, culminating on the drop into League Two.

"No, absolutely not," said McClaren when asked if the team boss had been under threat. "He never has been."

The Millers arrested a run of four straight losses with draws in their last two outings - and they were ahead in both of those games - against Newport and Shrewsbury Town. They had made an encouraging start to the campaign before things went awry at the beginning of October.

The focus, now, is on climbing higher than their present 22nd spot and adapting to their new 4-3-3 formation.

"There was a conscious effort, especially after that bad couple of weeks we had, that we would talk about consistency in selection, consistency in shape and consistency in performance," McClaren said. "If we get that, we will win football matches.

"The first 20 minutes of the last two home games, that's Rotherham United - on the front foot, playing good football, positive football. What I like about this team, whether we've played well or not, is they work, they never stop, they never give up."

Bruce is occupying an EFL hot-seat for the first time and has the experience of 65-year-old McClaren to draw on.

The older man said: "I've said to Alex: 'Welcome to management.' Unfortunately, this is something you have to go through when you're putting a team together. Sometimes it gels straight away, but not very often. Other times, you've got to have ups and downs - some adversity, some bad times, and that's certainly what we've had in the last few weeks."

McClaren enjoys a warm relationship with Stewart, but accepts that the Millers' league standing must improve to keep the chairman satisfied.

"I report to Tony nearly very day," he said. "He comes down to the training ground, has a cup of tea with the boys, knows the atmosphere, knows what the boys are doing and sees the hard work.

"That can only go so far. We're in a results business. He knows that, I know that, the players know that, Alex knows that."

McClaren has overseen 18 player arrivals and described the amount of money available for recruitment as "competitive".

"Tony and I have developed a certain trust," he said. "We've brought in players outside the window and gone a little bit above budget. We credit him for that.

"There's no criticism - and should be no criticism - in terms of what's happening above. It's basically what's happening on the field. Tony's like me: we're frustrated together.

"He loves this club, he loves the community and he wants to give something back to Rotherham. The last three years have not been the best and we're starting again."

"I've worked closely with Tony. He's given us practically everything that we wanted. We've smartened up the training ground, we're talking about improving the academy.

"We've also signed Brandon Williams and Dominic Iorfa after the transfer window. Now, it's purely about what we're doing out on the field on Saturday afternoons and Tuesday nights.

"That's the key to everything. We don't blame anybody. We don't say: 'Well, it's because of this, because of that.' It's purely down to what we're doing - and this is normal procedure when you're building a club from practically scratch.

"I thought we started the season very well in terms of performances, in terms of what the fans wanted to see - energy, attitude and fight from the players. In the last two, three weeks - and we've had it all season, really - there has been some inconsistency.

"I think that was really highlighted in the last two home games where were 2-0 up in both and I felt certain we're going to get two victories."

McClaren himself has no worries that Rotherham have a squad capable of being much higher in the table and believes their fortunes will turn, despite several key men being injured.

"I see Alex and his coaches working every day," he said. "I'd be worried if they weren't doing the right work, I'd be worried if the players weren't putting in the hard work. But I'm not worried because they are doing those thing, and that eventually will bear fruit.

"From my experience, hard work on the training field, good attitudes and good sessions will produce results."