Duncan Watmore gives credit to Millwall head coach Neil Harris for his best-ever scoring start to a season

BY RICHARD CAWLEY
richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Duncan Watmore has produced the best scoring start of his professional career and credits Millwall head coach Neil Harris for playing a key part in that.

The attacker netted his fourth goal of the season in Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at The Den.

Watmore also has two assists in the current Championship campaign, the latest coming last weekend as he teed up debutant Josh Coburn to open his account after his deadline day loan from Middlesbrough.

The 30-year-old is joint top of the league’s scoring charts and has 12 goals in 57 appearances for the Lions.

“The manager has been brilliant with me,” Watmore told the South London Press.

“He has given me a lot of belief and freedom to go and express myself in the final third – to get in dangerous parts of the pitch when I can affect the game. I owe a lot to that.

“I really enjoy playing under him (Harris) – he has a way of playing that suits me. You can see that throughout the team – he motivates and lifts you.

“I do have the freedom to drift and make those runs. He is very much involved and encouraging of it.”

Millwall broke their transfer record a week ago with a deal in excess of £2.5million agreed for Serbian striker Mihailo Ivanovic, who joins from Vojvodina.

The 19-year-old had been called up for senior international duty despite the Lions’ medical flagging up a metatarsal injury which they expect to keep him out for a number of weeks.

Later in the week Serbia’s FA confirmed that Ivanovic would not play any part for them due to the foot problem and also a hamstring injury

Millwall loaned Zian Flemming to Burnley, also on deadline day with an obligation to buy. The fee is around £7m.

There is pressure and reliance on Coburn to lead the attack with Tom Bradshaw (hamstring) out and those doubts surrounding Ivanovic’s involvement.

“I played with Josh when I was at Middlesbrough and I know what a brilliant player he is,” said Watmore. “I told him the fans would love him here – the way he plays, how hard he works and the talent he has.

“He is a really good addition for us. Scoring on your debut, as a number nine, is a great start.

“Even when he was young I was impressed with how he used his physical stature but also he is mobile and intelligent, on and off the ball. He is a natural goalscorer.”

Watmore has talked before about not setting targets after suffering major injuries in his career.

And the attacker is sticking with that policy when asked if his prolific start to the season means he has goal numbers in mind to achieve.

“It’s a boring answer but I never get too far ahead of myself,” said Watmore. “Football is a strange game and the injuries I’ve had mean I realise how quickly it can get taken away from you.

“Also form and confidence, across a season, are natural, with ups and downs.

“I just try and stay as level as possible – focus on the present. If it is going well then great. If it isn’t going so well then it’s about keeping work hard and hopefully you can turn it around – that’s always been my motto.”

PICTURES: BRIAN TONKS