Lee Clark has stated he is planning for the summer despite not reaching an agreement to stay on full-time as Rotherham United‘s manager.
The former Huddersfield Town boss is currently set to leave the New York Stadium at the end of the season, having failed in his quest to rescue the Millers from relegation down to League Two.
Clark Reveals Clearout Plans Despite Uncertainty
One of the biggest decisions to make for Rotherham heading into next season is a full reset of the playing squad in South Yorkshire, with Clark unimpressed with the effort put in by some players.
Speaking last week, the 53-year-old stated that some players had downed their tools and phoned in sick ahead of their loss against Wigan Athletic, which confirmed Rotherham’s relegation to the fourth tier.
He has also alleged that the squad cost previous manager Matt Hamshaw his job back in March, and that some had not heeded his previous warnings about work ethic heading into the clash against the Latics.
Now, in a new interview with the Rotherham Advertiser, Clark has revealed he is still planning for the coming months as if he was in permanent charge of the club.
“There are four games and I’ve got to plan as if I’m going to be here next season.
“Some of those lads who haven’t had chances, they’ll get an opportunity because I’ve got to make a judgement. The lads who are under contract, it doesn’t mean that they’re part of the future as well. Everybody’s playing for their future no matter what.
“However, I’ve got to look at the bigger picture. So I might be putting players in who might not be ready. If they’re younger, they might not be at the level we need them to be.
“We might not get the results. I haven’t got to worry about my win percentage and all that, that’s irrelevant to me. I’ve got to now look at these four games thoroughly.
“Is anybody prepared to stand up and say ‘I want to be part of Rotherham United’s rebuild, I want to be part of Rotherham United’s future’? If they put their hands up and go out and play, they can be a part of it. I’ll soon know if I have a squad or a blank piece of paper.”
“It’s all positive. He’s been really positive for me when we speak after the games and when we’ve met up. When I met him many years ago, he made a big impression on me, as did the board of directors. And it’s still the same.
“We have a real strong relationship. I think us Geordies and Yorkshiremen are the same. We say it how it is, we’re straight to the point, we don’t sugar-coat anything. So we know what each other’s looking for.”
Clark Sizing Up Permanent Role
Despite the product on the pitch being woeful over his interim tenure at Rotherham United, Lee Clark has been honest with delivering home truths about the current playing squad and if he is to be handed the reins permanently, there will be a wipeout of players over the coming months.
Whether he is the right man to lead the club given the performances so far is another question, but so far he seems to have been entrusted with transfer decisions despite not being confirmed that he is staying on into next season.
The situation at the Millers is fairly bleak right now, with shots being taken from the fanbase at players, managers and even the board as the inquest into how this season managed to unravel so quickly begins.
Clark is probably best placed to know who is the right fit for the club next season and who will be given the boot for their efforts this campaign, meaning it will not be a surprise if he is entrusted with the hot seat.
