RUFC - Millers to look for striker cover?

Rotherham United may well try to bring in a striker when the emergency loan window opens tomorrow.

Speaking to Radio Sheffield Chief Operating Officer, Paul Douglas said, 'Due to the injury of Gareth Evans we could well be looking at options up front because there`s a good chunk of the season still to go and we are still aiming for the play-offs.` Asked if the striker that the Millers are looking at might be Izale McLeod of Barnet, Mr Douglas said, 'His name hasn`t been mentioned to me. He was on our radar about twelve months ago when Ronnie (Moore) spoke about trying to get him, but he decided against it and maybe he`s regretting that.`

Speaking about the Emergency Loan Window, Mr Douglas explained, 'It`s there for clubs to be able to cover any injury situation. In the past it`s been suggested that clubs may have used the emergency loan market for things other than that which has led to FIFA being concerned that it might be an abuse of the transfer window system. The Football League have informed us that it may well be that by the 2014/15 season we will stop seeing emergency loans. But, for now, it`s in place for clubs to bring in a player to cover for injuries to any other player and when we loan a player or take a player on loan the Football League will expect an explanation to why that player is coming in.

'If someone does come in it`s for a total of, roughly, ninety-three days and a minimum of twenty-eight days. After the first twenty-eight days a club could ask for a twenty-four hour re-call option and there could be a stipulation, within the loan, that the player does not play in a cup competition or not play against the parent club.

'There is also a limit to age and you can only take a certain number of under twenty-three year olds at one time, which I believe is a maximum of four during the season. There is also a restriction to the number of loan players you can name on your squad list, which is five. There is also a stipulation on the number of players you can loan from an individual club and I believe that`s two. It is all pretty closely monitored.

'If we brought someone in next week they would be eligible to play until the end of the season but probably not the play-offs.`






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