Rotherham Titans head coach happy to take a step back from the action

HEAD coach Joe Barker will again take in the action from the sidelines when Rotherham Titans chase a third straight win today.

After combining playing and coaching for most of the season, he has sat out the last two games and doesn’t feature in the squad for today’s trip to Cinderford in National One.                    

But Barker has enjoyed the watching brief fof the back-to-back victories against Cambridge and Caldy, although he has intention of hanging up his boots.

“I have to take a step back and have a look,” he said. “These lads need some game time and to try and do what I’m asking of them. It gives me a chance to see what we’re actually doing.

Action from the win over Cinderford at Clifton Lane earlier in the season.

"It’s a lot easier to make a lot of points in a game to help them out because with me not having to concentrate on my game, I’ve got a better eye on it. I can be a bit more of a coach and that’s that balance I’ve got to try and figure out.

“Am I hanging up the boots? No. I’m only  27, I’ve still got a good five years plus in me, easy.”

It will be Rotherham’s first ever trip to Cinderford and they will be looking to complete a league double over the Gloucestershire outfit, having won the first meeting 20-3 in December. With four games to go they sit fifth in the table.

Kick-off is 3pm.

Team: Sam Allan; Dan Leake, Jamie Cooke, Harry Dunne, Connor Field; Callum Irvine, Connor Dever; Dan Richardson, Jack Bergmanas, Rikki Stout; Dan Preston-Routledge; Jamie Ure, Luis Ball, Zak Poole, Seb Nagle-Taylor.

Replacements: Ali Thomson, Will Dennis, Conor Keys, Alex Dolly, Ellis Abrahams.

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