Paul Warne: Rotherham boss on turning quizmaster and 'surreal' transfer methods

We remember when Paul Warne used to wear a suit and tie on the sidelines, too...

"I started out with a lot of enthusiasm - I had a suit, tie and everything on."

Paul Warne might well have been referring to his managerial attire, but in fact the Rotherham boss has taken up the fashionable role of quizmaster extraordinaire while English football is on hold.

The qualified teacher is used to holding an audience and has been putting on quizzes for Millers' fans and staff.

"I did it for the first three weeks and then I think they needed a change of voice," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"This week we pulled out all the stops, we had visual rounds and everything, so we've really knocked it up a level.

"I started out with a lot of enthusiasm - I had a suit, tie and everything on, but as the staying indoors has gone on for weeks, my look has been a bit scruffier to be fair."

Hugging along to George Michael

Warne already had a thirst for knowledge, and experimenting with off-the-wall methods, prior to having extra time on his hands due to the halting of English professional football.

He is a regular watcher of ice hockey side Sheffield Steelers and is "all over" American sport, but how has he brought some of the techniques he has seen to his squad?

"At the end of last season we were playing West Brom and I remember seeing something on an American football programme All or Nothing," said Warne.

"On a Monday, to reduce the friction in the dressing room, they put a song on and they all had to go around and hug everyone.

"I thought 'Friday night in the hotel I'm going to do it' and all my coaching staff were saying 'it's too much, the British lads aren't going to take it'."

Rotherham players had faith that they could stay in the Championship last season, but it was not to be

With Rotherham needing to win on the final day to have any chance of staying in the Championship, Warne went "high risk, full reward" and did it anyway.

"They came into the team meeting room and we put on Faith by George Michael," he continued.

"I said 'everybody, when the music comes on, you've all got to get up, hug everybody else in the room and thank them for the season they've had'.

"It went down an absolute storm - the lads were excellent the next day."

The Millers lost the game 2-1 but Warne says it helped his players, adding: "That sealed our fate, we got relegated, but it doesn't detract from how well they played."

'I try to talk players out of joining'

In Warne's three and a half years at Rotherham, the club have been relegated, got promoted from League One, gone down again and are fighting once more to go up to the second tier.

During lockdown he has been reading books about New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and San Antonio Spurs boss Greg Popovich, recommended to him by New York Red Bulls manager Chris Armus.

"Chris phoned me up through a mutual friend because he plays a 4-4-2 [formation] like we do," Warne said.

"With Bill it's more about how he keeps reinventing. He keeps his best players but he keeps reinventing the way he teaches and coaches them - just to keep them energised really as a group of players."

Freddie Ladapo joined Rotherham last summer and is their top scorer this season

Warne does not always follow his American counterparts, though.

"When they sign players the NFL make such a big deal out of making them feel welcome, but I go the other way.

"When I meet the player I try my best to talk the player out of coming, which I know sounds surreal.

"I say 'we're not going to build the team around you, you're not my most important signing, this is how hard it's going to be'.

"The ones who can get through the final stages and still want to come I think suit us and that's important for me."