By Jonathan Veal
While most teams in the Championship have the prospect of a pre-season training camp in warm and sunny climes this summer, Rotherham are keeping it far less exotic.
While most teams in the Championship have the prospect of a pre-season training camp in warm and sunny climes this summer, Rotherham are keeping it far less exotic.
The Millers are in the first
day of their week-long jaunt to Scotland – a trip they are making for a third
successive year - and are the only side in the second tier not to leave the
shores of the United Kingdom for a pre-season tour.
But while they miss out on
some European sun and continental opposition, their trip to north of the border
is no less crucial for Steve Evans’ men.
With 10 new arrivals coming into the Millers this summer, and 11 leaving, their seven days away from home
represents a vital chance to get to know people they are going to get very
close to over the next nine months.
A run-of-the-mill hotel chain
in Dundee may not be an appealing proposition as an apartment in Portugal for
the players, but the ability to garner the famed team spirit at the club which
has served them so well over the last few seasons will be just the same.
It's possible to make friendships and have
banter on a training ground for three hours a day, but it’s not until you spend
24 hours a day with someone that you really get to know them.
And when they get down to
business and they need to put their bodies on the line for the cause those
hours spent cooped up in a Scotland hotel could prove invaluable while also
getting valuable game time in their legs, with three friendlies.
And that is not lost on new
recruit Aidy White.
“That is where everyone will get to know each other a
lot better,” he said.
“We have three games up there and coming up to
Scotland, the games will be competitive and it is going to be good.
“I am sure there will be lots of fitness work and
football and I am sure it will be great experience to get to know all the lads.”
Scotland chilling 😂😎😎 @GrantWard_ pic.twitter.com/Xu6H2zm7GR— jonson clarke-harris (@ClarkeHarris) July 17, 2015
With such an overhaul of the squad, with more arrivals
set to follow, there are a number of shirts up for grabs when MK Dons visit the
AESSEAL New York Stadium for the curtain-raiser on August 8.
And as a result, the pre-season games take on more
importance with all of the players using them as an audition to get on that
teamsheet against the Dons.
So, with games coming up against Greenock Morton,
Dundee and Partick Thistle, White is hoping to build on his impressive start in
the friendly games and showcase his talent.
"Pre-season is a lot of fitness, but you also
have to go out there and show what you can do,” he added. “No one wants to have
a bad pre-season as you want to hit the ground running when you get the first
games and pre-season builds up to that.
“If you can get the spot in the first game, then it's
your spot and responsibility to hold onto it for the rest of the season.”
So with the Millers heading to Scotland where are all
of the other Championship clubs going this summer?
Birmingham – Marbella
Blackburn – Portugal
Bolton – Austria
Brentford – France
Bristol City – Portugal
Burnley - France
Cardiff – Holland
Charlton – Spain
Derby – Holland
Fulham – Portugal
Huddersfield – Marbella
Ipswich – Ireland
Leeds – Austria/Norway
Middlesbrough - Marbella
MK Dons – Ireland
Preston – Tenerife
QPR – Italy
Reading – Bangkok
Sheff Wed – Portugal
Wolves - France
