Hill expects 'difficult encounter' against Rotherham

Photo: Alan Ryder

Keith Hill

Dale travel to the New York Stadium on Saturday to face Rotherham United, who are currently enjoying life in League One, in the second round of the FA Cup and manager Keith Hill is expecting a very difficult encounter.

“They’re an excellent footballing side and they’ve got a good manager in Steve Evans. You look at his CV and it’s success, success, success. He’s got Rotherham playing the right way, they’ve got good players and they’re a good team.

“But I believe we’ve got a fair and equal opportunity. I think we’ve got a good side ourselves but we have to be as determined and show as much endeavour against Rotherham as we would do against teams in our own league. It’s a great game for Rotherham and for us, and I’m really looking forward to it. Their last result against Gillingham was an outstanding display so it’s going to be a difficult game, but those are the challenges.

“To become better players and a better team you have to play against better opposition and arguably at this moment in time Rotherham represent better opposition as they’re in a higher league and they’re in the play-off places. It’s a great opportunity to pit our wits and see how good we can be.”

Hill has also given his thoughts on the month ahead as Dale get set to play five games during December.

“It’s a big month with respect to it being a celebratory time of the year for Christmas, but it has got to be a professional business for us,” Hill said. “We have got to be professional and we have got to be willing to make those sacrifices that count on the football pitch.

“We’ve got to stick to our training programme – it can be very difficult at this time of year to get good training venues, but we’ve got to be resolute, we’ve got to stick to our plans, we’ve got to be keen and we’ve got to make those sacrifices when the general public will be celebrating.

“Yes we have to be able to celebrate Christmas and enjoy it with our families, but we have also got to be ready for the games and we can enjoy the work that we do in December maybe in May and June. I have always tried to prophesise that these games are important.”