TRANSFER TARGET: Rotherham United manager Matt Taylor (Photo: Danny Lawson)
The Millers’ injury crisis has been so bad, the Football League have given them special dispensation to add a free agent despite filling all available 25 slots with senior players when they named their squad list in September.
If they can sign someone by midday on Saturday, he will be eligible to make his debut against Sheffield Wednesday 25 hours later.
But only players without a club before the transfer window shut on September 1 will be available so by definition they will be lacking match practice, something Taylor will be conscious of.
“For him to be available to play some part, it depends on his training time up to this point,” said Taylor. “To put him on the pitch would be… not a risk but we’ll have to be sensible with how we use him moving forward let alone on Sunday, especially with such a quick turnaround of games.
“Our eyes will give us more guidance in the next 24/48 hours and then we’ll make a decision probably on Sunday morning.”
The Millers are lightest on bodies at centre-back. They were down to their last two on Tuesday in Sean Morrison – who joined as a free agent last season – and Lee Peltier. But Peltier went off with cramp after scoring the opening goal in a 2-0 win over Coventry City, with midfielder Hakeem Odoffin completing the game in his place.
“Our weaknesses and where we have probably struggled the most have been well documented,” is all Taylor would say when asked to confirm the position of his target. “I think everyone knows what we’re intending to do.”
