How Rotherham United boss Paul Warne made sure Carlo Ancelotti would remember him next time after Everton scare

Rotherham manager Paul Warne stands on the touchline during the FA Cup third round football match between Everton and Rotherham United at Goodison Park (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

If Carlo Ancelotti did not know who Paul Warne was before Rotherham's FA Cup to Everton then he certainly did after his side were nearly dumped out.

The Toffees overcame a scare to win 2-1 in extra time at Goodison Park, but the Millers were arguably the better side and put in their best performance in this competition in close to two decades.

Warne admitted before the game that the Italian coach was his footballing idol because of his approach to management and had enjoyed reading his book.

Unsurprisingly, the well travelled Ancelotti was not so familiar with Warne's career, but he will certainly remember his afternoon in the opposite dugout, given the difficulty his side faced.

Everton went ahead early on through Cenk Tosun before constant Millers pressure was rewarded with an equaliser through Matt Olosunde.

In the end it needed an extra-time goal from Abdoulaye Doucoure for Everton to finally see off their Championship opponents.

“The funny thing was I walked up to him before the game and I could see Duncan Ferguson elbow him and say, 'That's the manager there', I lip-read him even through a face mask,” Warne explained.

“I just said hello and he said, 'I didn't know who you were but I understand you read my book', which is a great opening gambit.

“I said I had read his book and told him I loved the bit where his parents had to check their back account every day but you don't so you've done well for yourself. Oddly enough I check my bank account every day.

“I told him it was an honour to manage against him, which it was.

“I couldn't be more proud of my group for what they tried to do for the club.

“I am disappointed with the result of course I am, no one wants to lose but I can't knock the lads for how well we played.”

It might have been a different story had the Millers not started so slowly.

Warne added: “I was really pleased. The only disappointment for me was the first five or 10 minutes, I think we showed them too much respect which I warned them about in the dressing room.!

“I thought we took the game to them after we conceded and I thought we were the better side in the first half.

“We could have got a 2-1 in and no-one would have complained about it.

“For us to come here and compete against a team three or four points off the top of the Premier League shows how well we performed today so I am proud of that.”