Millers ready for big kick-off

ROTHERHAM United chief Steve Evans is backing his players to rise to the challenge this season, starting with tomorrow's cup toughie at Hull City.

With the start of the league season put back a week due to the Olympics, the Millers will flex their muscles in the first round of the Capital One Cup at the KC Stadium.

Steve Bruce's Championship outfit are sure to provide a stiff test ahead of next Saturday's League Two opener at home to Burton Albion.

But having overseen an encouraging pre-season build-up, culminating in victories over Mansfield and Stamford in the last week, Evans says his new-look squad has the qualities to bring winning football to the New York Stadium at the first time of asking.

He told the Advertiser: "If you look at our squad, there is more quality in there than I had at Crawley but we will find out over the course of the season if they have the drive and determination that that group of players did. They were knocked by everyone in the country but never gave up.

"I can see a steel about the current squad and there are some real winners in the camp, people like Scott Shearer, Johnny Mullins, Kari Arnason, Ian Sharps and David Noble.

"How did Chelsea win the Champions League? It was down to a desire to win, not just ability.

"To be successful, commitment, ability, passion and luck all go into the mix."

Evans has a full squad to pick from apart from defenders Nicky Hunt (hamstring) and Dale Tonge (Achilles), both of whom are expected to be out for another three weeks.

The Millers chief is still on the lookout for a striker as well as a central defender who could also play left-back but reiterated he was in no rush to add to the ten signings he has made this summer.