Rotherham boss Paul Warne expects to manage club in League One next season despite Championship relegation

The Millers boss was taking time to consider his future after his side suffered relegation on the final day of last season.

Chairman Tony Stewart had already said Warne's job was safe but the 48-year-old wanted time to reflect, having been at the helm for a third straight drop from the Championship.

That time away has helped clear Warne's mind and he is now ready to try and prepare a third League One promotion bid.

“I can’t envisage not being the manager,” he said. “I just want what’s right for the football club. I’ve had to decide if that involves me as manager.

“I had to think whether it needed someone else to come in, strip the place bare and start again.

“I speak to the chairman a lot. I spoke to him after the last game for a long period of time.

“He’s fully supportive and I can’t imagine me walking in to see him tomorrow or next week saying, ‘Look, Chairman, that’s me done.’

“I wouldn’t have been 100 per cent true to myself if I hadn’t taken a bit of time just to try to get my head right.

“Having said that, I’ve worked non-stop since the season ended.

“I’ve still got two years left on my contract here. I don’t believe I will leave before then, although the chairman has the right to get rid of me whenever he sees fit.

“Equally, when I’m not happy in my own life I have the option to shake hands and part company. I’d like to think that if the chairman got rid of me next week or in six months’ time he would do it in a way I had huge respect for.

“And I think he would have huge respect for me if there was ever a day when I don’t want to work at the club any more. I think he appreciates what I’ve tried to do.”

There were plenty of factors behind Rotherham's drop, not least two coronavirus outbreaks which ended up with them playing a quarter of a season in six weeks.

There were key refereeing decisions that went against them and bad luck with injuries, but Warne says the blame lies at his door.

“Fundamentally, the failure should fall at my door, not at the players’ feet,” he said.

“I’ve done the job for four years. Unless you’ve been a manager I don’t think you can appreciate just how intense it is and how much you live with it.

“That’s why most managers don’t stay more than three years at any one club.”