Millwall boss gives verdict on Championship challenge – and return to division of Leeds, Leicester and Southampton

Gary Rowett has given his verdict on the composition of next season’s Championship – with Millwall renewing their rivalry with Leeds United.

The Yorkshire club were relegated from the Premier League on the final day with 2016 title-winners Leicester City also making the drop.

Southampton were the other club to lose top-flight status.

Ipswich Town, Plymouth Argyle and Sheffield Wednesday have moved up from League One.

Asked about the trio coming down the Premier League, Rowett told the South London Press: “They are all very good teams and very strong clubs.

“Leeds is always a very difficult place to go. Southampton are quite a young squad with the likes of Che Adams and Adam Armstrong who have played and done well in the Championship. Leicester is a club I played at for a while – it’s incredible to see them back in the Championship after being so good and winning the title.

“You don’t know (how those clubs will perform). There are so many things that happen. Clubs trying to stay in the Premier League have to change course and change direction away from where they were. They are all very different clubs to the ones they were in the Championship.

“I’ve been doing this now for a good few years and every season everyone says the same – It’s going to be a tougher league, or it’s going to be more open or there is no outstanding team this year. But if you actually look at the points and the teams, it always works itself out to be more or less the same. There are always two or three outstanding teams, there are always two or three that struggle – where you think they would be stronger. It is much of a muchness.

“It is going to be strong and certainly they (Leeds, Leicester and Southampton) are three teams who are going to be big ones in the division but it’s no different to Watford this year, it’s no different to other teams who have been there and wanted to get out. It’s a tough old league – it doesn’t really care about reputations.

“What you’ve got to do is earn your right to get out of this league. It’s a very difficult league to get out of, as we know.”

Millwall have not played Leeds since a 3-2 defeat at Elland Road in January 2020. The Lions won the reverse fixture 2-1 at The Den in October 2019 with Jed Wallace and Tom Bradshaw on target.

“It’s a game that certainly Millwall fans look forward to,” said Rowett. “Elland Road is a difficult place to go and the atmosphere can be electric – the same as at our place.

“The club has got a good record against the likes of Leeds but I certainly don’t enjoy a team coming down and a poor moment for them – regardless of which team it is. At the same time there are some big clubs to go and play and compete against.

“It’s certainly going to be another interesting and difficult season.”