Saturday 18th May 2007
Dear Diary
With our 1-0 win over QPR at Loftus Road, Rotherham have put themselves on the brink of history.
The lads are two games away from confirming their place in Europe for the first time in history.
And for the first time in history, Rotherham are about to create history for the time in the history of the club.
Which is saying something. Because it was only recently that I had to pick them up off the floor after losing to Boro in the semi-finals of the FA Cup thanks to a single Mutu goal.
Forty-five thousand fans travelled to Wembley to watch The Millers reach what could have been their very first FA Cup final appearance.
Unfortunately, the lads just didn’t turn up. Even though we knew what they are capable of – I feel like Adrian Mutu could go on to become a real global superstar in the world of football – we lacked intelligence and intensity, and Colin Lee’s Middlesbrough go to their second FA Cup final in the last decade.
That being said, who gives a fuck? Fuck Middlesbrough. Mutu was probably on cocaine and they probably paid the ref.
Which leaves Rotherham scrambling to save what has so far been an extremely promising season.
If given the opportunity at the start of the campaign, myself and the lads would have absolutely taken the current position we find ourselves in.
Losses away to Wimbledon and at home to Norwich have undermined some of the better points of our season; missing out an achievable six points that would have counted for a lot, especially in a run in that included losses away to Chelsea and Liverpool.
But here we are. One point ahead of seventh-placed Middlesbrough with a game in hand, and one point behind fifth-placed Blackburn, we play in our penultimate match of the season.
Even though it’s an obvious one to state, our squad is going to need major upgrade in the summer.
Even though the lads we have have done well this season, the quality in our first eleven versus the depth of the rest of the team is noticeable and can’t be ignored.
Sulley Muntari is still an option we’re looking at; whilst the likes of Kris Commons and Steve Sidwell, players I admire very much, would probably need to make way for a better calibre of footballer who have the ability to grind with the rest of the lads, turn their man for pace and keep focused for 90 minutes, especially if it becomes a four competition season for us.
The name of the game this summer, depending on the transfer kitty we have available – which is obviously heavily affiliated with where we finish in the league – is replacing the current depth in the squad with better quality depth and a touch of versatility.
Above all else, it’s also settling on a proper 4-4-2 that doesn’t change even couple of games because the lads can’t find some fucking consistency.
Two games left. First up Blackburn at home, and then Villa away. Wish us luck.
Rotherham are on the verge of something big.
