Alex Neil building confidence of Millwall players – wants them to kick on after Championship win
Alex Neil says his Millwall side need to back up their performance and result at Luton when they face Portsmouth at Fratton Park tonight.
The Lions got their first league win under the former Stoke boss on Saturday lunchtime with a 1-0 success at Luton Town.
Millwall had won just one of their 13 Championship matches prior to the weekend.
Now Neil, appointed head coach last month, is urging his side to kick on.
“I inherited that [poor run of form],” said Neil. “What happens is when you inherit a squad that’s not been winning a lot of games they are low on confidence. What I need to do is build into them how we are going to play – build confidence. I feel as if we’re getting there.
“We should have won (against Cardiff). We didn’t. We deserved to win (against Luton). We put a good, strong performance in.”
The 43 year-old was asked if he thought Millwall was the toughest challenge he had taken on in his managerial career.
“I don’t think it’s the toughest, he said. “It’s a different challenge to what I’ve had before.
“It’s a different challenge to what I’ve had before. If you look at a lot of the clubs I’ve gone to, they’ve normally wanted to get out the league and be promoted, whether it be a Norwich, Hamilton or Sunderland. Preston was a bit different for me. I developed a squad and sold a lot of players there. Stoke, again was a bit different.”
The Lions got their first league win under the former Stoke boss on Saturday lunchtime with a 1-0 success at Luton Town.
“I really enjoy this challenge. I really enjoy the club. I think that the perception of Millwall and the reality of Millwall is two different things. It’s a family-run, well-run club where everybody’s really tight together.
“It’s really tight-knit and a there are a lot of great people. I’ve only been here a few weeks, but I feel as if I’ve been here for a long time and I’m really enjoying my work.”