Rotherham United issue a lengthy update with an interview from Steve McClaren as fans voice concerns at the silence from their club.
It’s been setback after setback for the Millers, who are back in League Two for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
Earlier this month, Rotherham saw Mat Sadler turn down the chance to become their new manager after holding talks
They also missed out on Ian Burchnall who reportedly turned down a deal to join the recently relegated club. He has since become an assistant manager to Michael Skubala at Championship outfit Bristol City.
Head of football Steve McClaren believed Burchnall was to be announced, but according to Rotherham Advertiser, the League Two side weren’t able to reach a financial agreement, with Ian now looking at other interest.
Training returned this month, new players are needed due to the mass exodus, and now Rotherham are having to consider other managerial candidates.
Lee Clark had also been appointed manager of Rotherham until the end of the 2025–26 season, but was left in the dark about where he had a future at the club, and then failed to agree a new deal, leaving and since becoming Hartlepool’s new manager.
Edit as you feel fit 🙂 pic.twitter.com/nT5wFecVNw
— Jeri Simpson (@MillersMum1986) June 24, 2026
CLUB STATEMENT:
As the first team’s return to pre-season training draws closer, the club feels it important to communicate to supporters various aspects of the hard work going on behind-the-scenes, from which the news has not yet reached the public domain.
We sincerely acknowledge that our fan base want to understand what is going on within their football club and, while the details of some internal processes must remain private in order to maintain their integrity, this update is being addressed to our supporters with the intention of providing them with as much clarity and transparency as an ever-changing landscape permits.
The club also appreciates that where there have not been updates issued to fans on our official channels, there has been understandable speculation from various news and media outlets which has occupied that space.
Our Head of Football Steve McClaren – supported closely by Director of Football Recruitment Rob Scott, Chief Operating Officer Paul Douglas and, indeed, key figures throughout the football department – has made significant progress to move the football club forwards.
Detailed below under their respective headlines are areas in which the club has made positive steps since our last update.
Player recruitment
Operating with Rob Scott and his team, our Head of Football Steve McClaren has made significant strides to identify and open dialogue with a number of targets who we are confident will be able to perform here at Rotherham United.
Throughout the early period of Steve’s tenure time was spent devising a clear and definitive ‘profile’ of which attributes any player signing for the club should have and the process to bring individuals to Rotherham United with those credentials is now well under way.
Work to that effect has been ongoing from the moment Steve was appointed to his position within the football club and, with players now returning from summer breaks ahead of pre-season, is nearing a point at which those efforts will begin to bear fruit imminently.
We would once again like to reassure supporters that this process can and has begun in the current absence of a head coach and whilst it is difficult to outline a definitive timeline, there is a high probability that players will begin to be announced on our official channels before the end of the week.
The club is acutely aware of the fact that this summer represents a big opportunity in respect of the turnover of its playing squad, and, like every other club in the country would like to have a settled team in place at the earliest opportunity. However, we will, as always, prioritise bringing in the right players over doing so in the early days of pre-season.
We will equip Steve McClaren with a healthy Sky Bet League Two budget to enable him to recruit players of the required calibre to aid our on-field successes but will always balance that with ensuring that the club is never put into a position of financial jeopardy .
Sports Science and Medical Department restructure
Following consultation with Head of Football Steve McClaren and after a full review of our facilities and practices, the club can confirm that the department will be restructured in time for the new season.
The 2025/26 campaign saw the club encounter a totally unprecedented number of injuries throughout the course of the season, which undoubtedly hampered our on-field fortunes and contributed significantly to our relegation from Sky Bet League One.
In a letter from our Chairman Tony Stewart which was communicated to supporters back in April, it was outlined that a full ‘post-mortem’ of the season would take place during the summer and key issues would be subsequently addressed ahead of 2026/27.
It has been universally agreed that the most pertinent of those topics was how we would address the simply unacceptable volume of injuries encountered by our first team squad in the campaign just passed.
Appointments are to be made to newly-created key positions within the Sports Science and Medical department which we believe will positively transform the operation, with the club having already enacted a number of changes to the policies and procedures that were previously in place.
Training Ground improvements
Having provided the club with a full consultation across its football operation shortly after his appointment, Steve McClaren advised that a number of improvements be made at Roundwood Sports Complex.
Those formative conversations have resulted in work being signed off and subsequently started to install a new two-storey unit which will provide the first team with additional office space and a bespoke theatre-style meeting room, which will also host members of the local media for pre-match press conferences and provide us with further on-site functionality from this season onwards.
As is always the case at this time of year, general maintenance works have been carried out ahead of the players’ return to pre-season training, including the full replacement of the two playing surfaces at our training base.
Further coverage of the works will be available to view online and across our social media channels as it reaches completion.
Steve will continue to review the facilities and policies and procedures in place at the training ground as he looks to help us evolve our football operations.
We would also like to take the opportunity to thank our colleagues at Parkgate FC, in particular long-serving Chairman Albert Dudhill and Claire Narejko, who continue to offer us their guidance and support in all aspects of maintenance and development of the site.
Bringing the Academy closer to the first team
We are incredibly proud of our Academy system, the opportunity it represents for aspiring young footballers within the area and the success that it has enjoyed over the years in respect of producing professionals for our first team set up.
As a club, we are committed to further enhancing the player pathway to our senior setup and – again, with Steve’s help – have undertaken a full review of how we can make that route as clear as possible.
It has been universally agreed that one of the biggest challenges we have faced in recent years has been the geography of where the youth teams are based, which has proved increasingly challenging as a result of Academy scheduling often running in parallel with first team sessions.
Again, thanks to Albert, Claire and everyone at Parkgate, the club are currently making positive strides in exploring the possibility of bringing the U18s team on-site with them at Roundwood Sports Complex.
The move would see our U18s share Parkgate FC’s main pitch for training sessions and matches and also permit them the use of the Roundwood Sports and Social Club, where they would have access to meals tailored to their needs as young footballers.
Conversations remain ongoing between Parkgate and our first team and Academy staff and we will provide further updates as and when additional information becomes available.
The ongoing process to appoint a Head Coach
We fully understand and appreciate that our supporters have placed significant emphasis on the need for the club to appoint a new Head Coach.
We would like to reassure our fanbase that work is taking place around the clock regarding the vacant position and we are aware that the timeline in which this appointment would ideally be made is becoming shorter with the players due to return to training next week.
As outlined above in the Player Recruitment section of this update, we are confident that the absence of a head coach will not hinder the process of signing players.
In an attempt to provide further context, next week’s return to pre-season training for the first team will be largely centred around testing, physical work and conditioning and will be led by our Head of Performance Ross Burbeary.
It is also important to stress that while the individual appointed to the Head Coach role will be responsible for team selection and tactics ahead of any given matchday, they will work in close collaboration with Steve McClaren across all football matters. At present, Steve himself is leading on all football-related operations and will continue to do so upon the appointment of a head coach, at which time he will assume a hands-on supervisory role.
We would once again like to thank our supporters for their patience and backing and hope that this update across a number of club matters provides them with the necessary clarity and encouragement regarding work ongoing behind-the-scenes to prepare for the 2026/27 campaign.
Here’s the social media reaction after Rotherham issue a lengthy update with an interview from Steve McClaren as fans voice concerns…
@mikem990: Communication has improved since Mclaren came in tbf, and that’s another decent interview and statement. 👍Can Steve and the club please just get a manager and some players in, though. Actions speak louder then words and all that. We’re being left behind by crappy league 2 clubs.
@mikem990: A couple of things, though, if i’m being petty. “We need to be ready for August 7th. If we’re not, then I’ll be worried”. No, we need to not repeat last season and actually have some players in place for pre-season. Or expect a ton of injuries again.
@__IrufcI__: Absolutely nothing he can say will excuse anything what’s gone off, absolutely nothing. Time for talking absolute shite is done we need action. Now.
@CraigyBoyBes: I’m not listening to 18 mins of McLaren trying to tell us everything’s rosy and we’re where we want to be. Fans are being taken for mugs. We’re a circus, plain & simple. How many more of these McLaren interviews are we going to get before something actually happens? #rufc
@smith98_josh: Sounds as tho we’re close to a head coach (for the 3rd time) as well as a few signings. Also, can the club quit the absolute arselicking of Tony Stewart. Stop trying to tell us he’s so brilliant. Stewart Out. #rufc
@Millermen_1925: Basically the exact same interview as last time with McClaren, he’s now gone from saying that he doesn’t sign players in May to saying clubs don’t do things until July. Told us the manager situation is almost sorted yet again after saying that last time. Troubling #RUFC
