Rotherham United are considering a move for Paul Warne should they decide to part company with manager Steve Evans, according to journalist Alan Nixon.
The Millers have underwhelmed since returning to League One this season following their relegation from the Championship last May. They were expected to challenge for an immediate return to the second tier but have struggled for consistency.
It appeared as if they had turned a corner at the turn of the year when they won four games from six, whilst also picking up a respectable point against Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium. However, they have endured a miserable February which has yet to see Evans’ team pick up a victory, with yesterday’s 2-1 defeat at Reading their third loss in four.
Warne Set For Immediate Managerial Return?
According to reports, Rotherham are keen on appointing Paul Warne should they decide to make a chance in the dugout. Evans only returned to the club last season, nine years after leaving South Yorkshire. He achieved two promotions during his first stint but another season in League One looks a near certainty.
Derby made the decision to relieve Warne of his duties earlier this month after the Rams dropped into the Championship relegation zone. The 51-year-old is a League One proven manager, having achieved promotion with the East Midlands-based outfit last season.
However, it is Warne’s previous allegiances with Rotherham which make this an easy link to make. He spent six years as a player at Millmoor between 1999 and 2005 before finishing his playing career at the club in 2012.
He was then appointed manager in 2016, achieving promotion from the third tier on three occasions. As such, he is still held in high regard and could return for a fourth time before the end of the season.
Writer’s View
Although this is an easy link to make, there is likely to be a degree of truth in it. Warne has a long-standing affair with Rotherham and is currently unemployed. With four League One promotions under his belt, he is someone that is well versed in getting out of the third tier. The Millers won’t want to hang around in this division for much longer and will feel that they should be playing in the Championship. Promotion this season looks almost impossible, so this could be a change that happens towards the end of the campaign or in the summer as they look to rebuild ahead of the 2025/26 season.
