'Marek Rodak? He's all right, I suppose,' says Rotherham United boss Paul Warne

The Rotherham United manager was a striker in his playing days, a hard-working forward, not a prolific one.

Maybe he blames keepers for the fact that in more than 500 appearances, many of which were for the Millers, he scored less than 70 goals.

“No-one could win a throw-in like me, though,” he likes to point out.

Marek Rodak is the Rotherham No 1 these days. The young Slovak did well on a season-long loan in last term's League One Promotion campaign and he's stepped up to a whole new level during a second spell this year at the AESSEAL New York Stadium in the Championship.

But any praise from Warne can seem grudgingly given.

“Goalkeepers do my head in,” he said following Rodak's man-of-the-match display in a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers that sent the Millers into the international break unbeaten in five matches.

“Marek's doing all right, isn't he? He has a good attitude. He's one of the lads.

“He was good against Blackburn. I don't think he had worldie saves to make — there were no saves that I couldn't make, because I'll have you know that I'm pretty good between the sticks.

“But, yes, he did well. That's what he's there for.”

Rodak, whose parent club is Premier League Fulham, is still only 21, but his exploits with Rotherham have seen him promoted from the under-21s to the full Slovakia squad. He's been on for UEFA Nations League matches at home to Ukraine and in the Czech Republic.

His shot-stopping is a match for any keeper in the Championship, he looks to command his penalty area and his pinpoint distribution can turn defence into attack in a split second.

Perhaps his only flaw is that he sometimes opts for a punch when he could catch the ball. Ironically, that's something Warne likes in the youngster who is destined to play in the top flight at some stage.

The boss finally lets his guard slip and reveals his true feelings about the custodian who is an ever-present in the Millers' league line-up this season.

“For us to have a successful year, the back five are essential,” he says. “Marek is a massive part of that.

"He did brilliantly for us last year and has been even better this season. He's decent with both feet. He can kick it the same distance with either foot so if the opposition close him down on one side he can just move the ball to the other.

“He's got a great career ahead of him.”

Warne wouldn't swap him for any other keeper. Better the daredevil you know ...

“I like my goalkeepers to be Cavaliers,” he says. “I like them to take risks, to come for things, even if they flap a bit. I just don't want them to be a 'liner'.”

Rodak: putting the Marek into maverick.

A version of this article appeared in last week's Advertiser