Millwall boss Rowett can see ‘continual progress’ and why even ‘mega-money’ clubs find play-off step a tough one

Gary Rowett has explained why he still sees Millwall’s 2022-23 season as part of their “continual progress” despite slipping out of the play-off zone on the final day.

The Den was left shellshocked after the 4-3 final day defeat to Blackburn that ensured Sunderland snared sixth place.

Millwall were 3-1 up at the break but Ben Brereton Diaz, right, helped inspire a Rovers comeback, the majority of fans in the home areas heading for the exits when the Chilean put Rovers ahead for the first time on a chaotic and emotionally-draining afternoon.

“During the game it is a horrible feeling,” Rowett told the South London Press. “You wake up the next day and you can’t actually believe it has happened. To be 3-1 up and so close, and then let it fall away. The game unravelled for different reasons.

“As soon as they score a goal to make it 3-2 you always know, as a manager, it’s going to be a tough end – particularly without the opportunity to be able to change the dynamic of the team tactically.

“We didn’t have a five (at the back option) or certain areas of the team that we could stiffen up (because of injuries to the likes of Ryan Leonard and Charlie Cresswell).

“It wasn’t something where I felt like going out afterwards and relaxing as though nothing had happened. It was always going to be one that took a couple of days to get over.

“I woke up the next morning and once I realised it actually was that scoreline – and it did actually happen – then for me it is about how do we make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“I spoke to the players after the game. I had to go and watch Fleetwood go and take the trophy at Wembley (when he lost the League Two play-off final while manager at Burton) – I purposely did it because I wanted to feel a little bit hurt seeing them do it. I knew it would motivate me for the season after. Then we were pretty much top of the league when I left (for Birmingham) and the team went up that season.

“There is no point looking back or whinging about what happened. It happened because on the day we weren’t good enough to hold on to that lead. Therefore we have to work out what we have to do to make it better.

“I’m a pretty black-and-white type of person. I’m pretty honest with the way I deal with people, pretty matter-of-fact. I’m the same at dealing with situations.”

Millwall finished with 68 points, one fewer than the 2021-22 campaign, but a year ago they headed to AFC Bournemouth on the final day knowing that their top-six prospects were majorly reliant on other results. This time around was the first time on Rowett’s watch that they had control of their play-off destiny going into their 46th Championship fixture.

“I still see this period as continual progress,” said Rowett, who made the play-offs with Derby County in 2018.

“These last little bits are the hardest bits in the Championship to do – otherwise teams with mega money like Norwich, West Brom and Watford would just do it easy. It’s not easy to get in the mix for the play-offs and get to the last day fighting for them.

“I don’t think we can lose sight of that. The feeling afterwards is that we failed and I’m sure there was a lot of anger and frustration. But the reality is it took a big achievement to get to where we were. The last little step, sometimes, is the hardest one to take.”