Wayne Carlisle's sadness if Rotherham United end comes

Number two Wayne Carlisle took interim charge more than three weeks ago following the sacking of boss Matt Taylor and has overseen two draws and a defeat in the last three Championship matches.

The Millers are seeking to make a permanent appointment from outside and he knows that his position is under threat because the next person in the hot-seat may want to bring in their own backroom staff.

The 44-year-old would like to stay on and help in the fight against relegation and said of a potential parting of the ways with his players: “I'd be very sad.

“They are a fantastic bunch, they really are. They give you everything all of the time. It is just that sometimes in this division everything isn’t quite enough because of the energy levels or quality.”

Carlisle had won plaudits for the manner in which he has stepped up alongside coaches Scott Brown and Dan Green who may also find their roles at risk.

“The biggest thing for me is my reputation,” he said. “I want to walk away from this job, if that's what it's going to be, with the fans, the people at the club and the players giving feedback that we've gone about it in the most professional way in the circumstances we were left with.”

The caretaker chief spent a couple of days with his family in Devon following last Saturday's 0-0 draw at Birmingham City and returned to take training early this week.

“I'm not quite sure what's going to happen,” he said. “We'll see from here. If a new manager comes in and doesn't see me as part of it then I totally understand.”