Opinion: With Paul Warne gone, Rotherham United should turn to former Middlesbrough man | OneFootball

Rotherham won’t have wanted to think about a time without Paul Warne in charge but it is very much a reality for the club now.

Despite being with the club for eight years and overseeing three promotions to the Championship, it was the lure of Derby County that took the boss away from the Millers after all that time.

Even with the club looking in fine fettle in the second tier – and perhaps looking the best they ever have in that division – the offer from the Rams appears to have been too good to turn down. So much so, that he is now heading back down to League One to manage them.

Quiz: What country were these 25 ex-Rotherham United players born in?

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Michael Ihiekwe

England Nigeria

Derby then, have their man. But who do Rotherham turn to now to keep them in the second tier and achieve what Warne couldn’t?

They can’t be hasty and can’t appoint someone in a panic. Scrambling to find a makeshift replacement could backfire spectacularly, so they need to consider their options carefully and make the right call. One man who they should definitely have in the frame for the job who could work is Jonathan Woodgate.

There are some who aren’t impressed with the former player and his time in management so far. His time with Middlesbrough, in his first stint, for example was not the best. He produced just nine wins and had a win percentage of just over 20%.

That won’t get the pulses racing for Millers fans but his time with Bournemouth is proving that he has learned from his mistakes and he ticks plenty of boxes for Rotherham. He ended his Cherries stint with the club at the right end of the table and in the play-offs. 13 of his 23 games were wins.

So why Woodgate then? For starters, he has the knowledge and the experience that Rotherham need to try and keep them up. The defender has played at the highest level when he used to lace up his boots and since becoming a manager, he’s never been in charge of a club lower than the Championship. He’s got Bournemouth playing some good football and picking up some results at the right end of the second tier, so he knows how to get a team performing in the league – and could therefore get everyone on that same level at Rotherham to try and keep them up.

He’s also a young manager, looking to thrive and prove himself after some time away. His last role was in 2021 – meaning he’s had over a year out of the game to reflect, learn from his experiences so far and better himself. Managers who give themselves a break often return and are raring to go – and arguably better than before. Woodgate has learned two lessons from his two stints and has had ample time to take knowledge from both. He’s young and has plenty of his managerial career left too and keeping Rotherham in the division could be the next best step for the manager.

If he could do that, it would be a real show of his credentials. He could flourish alongside Rotherham and it could be a partnership that really works for the Millers.