Rotherham boss Matt Hamshaw will be turning his phone off for the rest of the transfer window in order to keep two-goal hero Sam Nombe at the club.
Nombe’s first-half double helped the Millers to a 2-1 opening day victory over Port Vale at the AESSEAL New York Stadium.
The 26-year-old striker, who bagged 14 goals last term, has two years left on his contract in South Yorkshire and Hamshaw is keen to keep him around.
“He’s excellent, like I’ve said all along, all summer, it’s really important we keep hold of him this season,” the boss said.
“I know he’s got two years left. I’ll be turning my phone off all this month because he’s not going anywhere.”
Nombe’s brace put the Millers in a commanding position with 29 minutes on the clock and it improved even further when Jaheim Headley saw red for a rash tackle on the Millers hitman.
But three changes at half-time by Vale boss Darren Moore changed the game and Connor Hall’s strike on the hour reduced the arrears.
Zak Jules was then sent off for the Millers as they were hanging on at the end, with Lorent Tolaj hitting the post for Vale deep into injury time.
“I’ve said all summer that we’re going to see a bit of a rollercoaster and that game kind of summed it up,” Hamshaw added. “I thought we should have managed the game much better in the second half, we got caught in a not-knowing-what-to-do scenario.
“However, the lads stuck to the task and defended resolutely, with a lot of balls coming in the box and I thought we stood up to it.
“I thought the goal, if I’m going be brutally honest, was just coming for them towards the end. And I thought a lot of our game management stuff wasn’t amazing.
“So there’s loads and loads to improve upon. But the main thing is, we’ve got three points.”
Vale, back in the third tier after winning promotion from League Two title last season, left feeling disappointed.
Boss Moore said: “I thought the first half was not Port Vale. I thought we were hesitant, static and we were reactive instead of being proactive.
“Then, of course, towards the end of the first half, we make our own problems with getting the red card.
“Some may say it was harsh, but I think we gave the referee a decision to make and he’s made one that’s not gone in our favour.
“In the second half, I speak on behalf of all of us here, that is what we want to see, what Port Vale built, the bedrock and the success is what we have seen in the second half.
“And I thought probably another five minutes we would have got an equaliser.”
