Doncaster Rovers target wage parity and 'won't be held to ransom by anybody' - Grant McCann

Grant McCann is keen to ensure much more parity in wages across the Rovers squad from this summer onwards.

And part of that is a determination not to bring in players who will disrupt the wage structure McCann has in mind.

The Rovers boss has therefore warned prospective signings they must have a strong desire to to play for the club ahead of aspirations of boosting their bank balances.

"The club are backing us to bring these players in but we won't be held to ransom by anybody and we won't be paying over the odds for anyone," McCann said.

"We want to make sure this group structurally in terms of wages are all quite similar - maybe apart from the younger ones.

"We don't want anyone coming in on huge money and upsetting everybody.

"It won't be happening like that.

"We want to make sure we bring in players that want to play for Doncaster Rovers first and foremost and then finances second."

Addressing summer recruitment, McCann says he is excited about what the next couple of months may bring as he gets a clear run at the transfer window for the first time.

And with few planned outgoings to oversee, he is pleased to be fully able to shape the squad as he wishes.

"I'm actually looking forward to putting the side together this year," he said.

"When I came in last year there was a lot of bodies, especially when the loan players came in.

"We had to move six or seven out on loan.

"We initially only recruited Herbie Kane, Mallik Wilks and Ali Crawford in the early part.

"Paul Taylor came in to add numbers in that area. We knew he wasn't fit at that time.

"This year gives me less of a big squad, more of a tight knit group.

"The players we bring in will be carefully picked as they have been.

"We're working hard, myself and Gavin, to make sure the deals are right for us.

"If anyone wants over the odds, they are free to go elsewhere, and I think we've seen that already."

McCann says the hard yards have been put in since his arrival at the club with recruitment this summer in mind.

He and his staff have travelled the length and bredth of the country over the last 12 months, always keeping an eye on prospective targets to ensure a definitive list was available at the end of the season from which to identify signings.

"We've worked hard all year," he said.

"Myself, Cliff [Byrne, assistant], Alex [Bailey, analyst], Gloves [Lee Glover, ex-opposition scout], we must have covered the best part of 60 or 70 games this year in terms of getting out and watching games when we haven't had games.

"It's a little bit of both.

"We've all identified targets. They'll get whittled down to three in each position and we work on it from there.

"That's how we've done it.

"From there, I speak to the players and the representatives and once I get the indication that they want to come, I hand it over to Gavin.

"Gavin then takes control of it financially.

"We're all part of the process. We're all kept in place. If it gets to the stage where I feel uncomfortable, I'll tell Gavin to pull the plug on it.

"It's important we manage what we've got. It's a competitive budget again."