Originally Posted by
Nardendee
In this case I’m not sure it was about trying harder. The facts are Derby are a much bigger club and have a structure to suit the Premiership. They are not a better team than us as demonstrated by the respective league positions but potentially, and matter of factly this is the first time in my time following the Millers that we are a division higher than them.
In effect they, like Wednesday & Ipswich, are sleeping giants. Ok they have had problems financially but are under new ownership now.
Paul is 49. He has been at Rotherham for many years, not just as Manager and jobs like this don’t come around too many times. Perfect scenario for Paul. In no other time within Derby’s history, certainly not the last 40 years, would Paul have had a chance of getting the job, but they are at level 3 for the first time in 36 years, and he knows what it takes to get out of the league. Furthermore, he would view promotion to the Championship as the first step towards a goal of reaching the Prem. I am not saying that we will never get there, but even if we did, staying there would be much more difficult than for a club the size of Derby, who at the very least should be top 6 in the Championship. He could have rejected this and stayed, but only a few months ago some people on here were suggesting whether the Manager is good enough. He could have stayed and ended up out of work (as unlikely as that may sound) His stock will never be higher than it is now. Essentially now or never.
So to answer your question, I really don’t think there could be much, given the set of circumstances that the Chairman could have done to persuade him to stay, particularly when I believe Paul thought he had taken us as far as he can, whereas the Chairman doesn’t, and neither do I,
Therefore, I believe this could be good for both parties. Paul gets his next big challenge, and we also get a change, which we had already started to see when Smith and Ihiekwe left, which has forced us to play in a different (less direct) way which may better suit the level we are at. We had both players with us when we were promoted but also when we were relegated. The same applies to the management team so a change may help stop the cycle, particularly with someone new who like you and me may well think that, actually we can consolidate ourselves & then build from there. The mindset change from little old Rotherham to something of more standing.
Essentially in believing he has taken us as far as he can is effectively saying little old Rotherham, plucky little team punching above their weight. The new manager (at least the right one) would need to have the mindset of, to the effect, this is where we belong.
No more plucky underdog.