Rotherham United urged against rash Matt Hamshaw sack decision - "if in a year..." | OneFootball

FLW Millers fan pundit believes that chopping and changing managers frequently isn't the best way forward

Rotherham United have endured a tough start to the League One season, and frustrations are starting to build among the fanbase.

The Millers were promoted out of League One at the first time of asking in each of their last three visits down to the third tier, so to have underperformed and finished midtable last season, and now being among the early relegation battlers this term is a concern.

As is usually the case, the finger of blame can be pointed at the manager, and in this case, many feel that Matt Hamshaw is slightly out of his depth in what is his first managerial role after three years as an assistant at Derby County.

It's been a tough few months for the Rotherham-born boss, who has had to oversee a change in the side over the summer, as those who were brought in to lead the club to an immediate Championship return left, and now the Millers have seemingly gone to a more youthful approach.

However, the likes of Sam Nombe, Martin Sherif and Kion Etete, among others, have spent time in the treatment room, and it's been difficult to breed consistency into his starting lineups.

Therefore, given all of those factors, FLW's Rotherham fan pundit, Tom Eyre, believes that Hamshaw should be given some more time, and that replacing managers at will isn't a good way to progress as a club.

Rotherham United fan pundit urges club to take more time with Matt Hamshaw

Since Paul Warne's departure in September 2022, four different permanent managers, including Hamshaw, have spent time in the New York Stadium's dugout. It resembles a big change, after Warne was in the post for close to six years, and Eyre doesn't agree with it.

"The club's, the fans' and Matt Hamshaw's personal aspirations are currently far off what the club is achieving, and I think he'll be the first person to acknowledge and understand that it's not the position we want to be in," Eyre told Football League World.

"But for me, we've had four managers in the last three seasons, and it's not a productive business model, it's not productive financially, and it's not productive going forward.

"You'd argue that Hamshaw's recruitment in the summer was good, the players he brought in are really good — they're youthful and sellable assets — they just haven't been clicking yet, and we've got a few injuries."

Eyre understands where the vast majority of Rotherham fans are coming from, however, as he also feels that the Millers' performances haven't been up to scratch through the opening stages of this season.

However, he does believe that the club should afford Hamshaw time to see this through, like they did with Warne, who oversaw three Championship relegations during his time at the club.

"Personally, I don't think we're very good at the moment, so I'm with the fans, I understand where they're coming from, but for me, Matt Hamshaw needs at least two or three transfer windows and a season or two to get the club on the right track," Eyre said.

"You can't keep dipping in and out of managers because that's not a good system, and it shouldn't be something we're recognising as a club.

"Paul Warne had three years of tough work, and we stuck with him, and it proved to be really good, so Hamshaw is someone you need to back and hope for the best.

"If this time next year we're saying the same things, then maybe it could be time to look away from him."

Rotherham United need to be wary of realistic League One relegation if things continue

Whilst a healthy system doesn't involve chopping and changing managers frequently, Rotherham needs to be wary of what could end up being a very realistic fear of relegation to the fourth tier for the first time since the mid-2000s, where they ended up staying in League Two for six seasons.

The likes of Northampton Town and Exeter City, two sides many tipped to struggle in League One this season, have started the new campaign well, and the newly promoted sides from League Two look to be settling in immediately.

If those sides continue that solid start, then the trapdoor could begin to loom closer for Matt Hamshaw's side, and then at that point, it may be time to think about bringing someone in to sort that out.

For now, Rotherham would be wise to see if the hometown boss can turn things around, but results will need to change for the better as the campaign goes on.