Jordan Hugill interview: Scoring against his old clubs, Rotherham’s survival hopes and being managerless | Football News
4 min read
Of the eight Championship goals scored since joining Rotherham, six have come against his former sides.
But Jordan Hugill, with a laugh, insists it is mere coincidence.
« I wish that was the case because I might end up finishing the season as top goal scorer! » he tells Sky Sports. « I’ve had a lot of clubs, so we’d be here all day! »
He isn’t entirely wrong. Hugill, 31, has represented nearly a third of the current division.
« There’s always that added motivation, but it’s not like I’m trying harder in certain games, » he adds. « It’s just one of those where that’s when the chances have been coming.
« I want to score in any game, regardless of who it’s against. I’ve always had a point to prove my whole career. It’s why I am where I am. »
Speaking of points to prove, that is the state in which Rotherham and Hugill currently find themselves.
A 5-0 trouncing at Watford last time out has left them four points adrift of safety, and without a manager. Matt Taylor was sacked last week after just over a year in charge.
Hugill remains balanced about their current plight. Rotherham in the Championship has traditionally been an uphill battle. Last season’s survival was the outlier, rather than the norm.
« It’s not so much something went wrong, » he says. « We knew what a challenge it would be here, it’s what we all signed up for.
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« It’s disappointing when someone loses their job and we’re partly responsible for that as a team. He was one of the reasons I came to Rotherham, but I’ve been in situations like this before. It’s a part and parcel of football. Now we’ve got to come together and try to better those results that have got the manager the sack.
« We need to get our heads down from here and stay as professional as possible. Football moves fast and you’ve got to deal with it.
« We’ve got good players here, it’s just not been working for us. The results haven’t been the best. We just have to keep going and try and build on what we’ve been doing, and try and get some points on the board. »
In spite of their struggles, Hugill has been pleased with the performances that have yielded him three goals so far this season, especially considering the injury issues he struggled with before the campaign got under way.
« I’m not just a striker who focuses solely on goals, » he says. « I do a lot more off the ball and I pride myself on that.
« Personally I’m happy with how I’m doing. I was struggling in pre-season with my knees and stuff. But I feel I’m getting back to where I want to be, even if I don’t feel quite there yet.
« It’d be nice to score more goals, but with the chances I’m getting I’m doing well. I feel like I’ve been quite clinical with what I’ve had. »
Rotherham currently sit 22nd in the Championship having won just two of their 16 games
Hugill’s efforts have proven pivotal to what Rotherham have managed to accrue, with his goals so far contributing to five of their 11 points.
The club are yet to appoint a new manager but, regardless of who comes through the door, he believes they have the squad in place to stay up for a second-straight season. That is something Rotherham haven’t managed to do since a four-year spell between 2001-05.
« I’d like to think we’ve got a good chance, » he says. « We’ve got 30 games left and we’re four points off the team above us. We pride ourselves on being together as a team, but we knew it would be tough, and what we signed up for.
« With the teams coming down it’s probably the most competitive this league has ever been. »
Yorkshire rivals Leeds travel to New York Stadium on Friday night to take on Hugill’s Rotherham
One of the teams that have come down are their next opponents, as Rotherham prepare to host Yorkshire rivals Leeds United on Friday night – live on Sky Sports.
It seems a daunting proposition, but Rotherham have enjoyed a decent return against the better sides this season. Only Leicester and Bristol City have left the New York Stadium with victory so far, and both by just the odd goal.
« You always look forward to big games, and it doesn’t get much bigger than Leeds, » says Hugill. « We’ve got to put our best foot forward and see where it takes us. There’s no easy games for anyone coming to our stadium, we’ve gone toe-to-toe here with Leicester, Norwich, Ipswich.
« We’ve had to find our way of getting points this year, and for us if we can try and make our stadium a fortress we know we’ll have a chance.
« We pride ourselves on our home form, and hopefully that will carry us to where we need to be. »
