David Livermore keen to continue in supporting role to next Millwall head coach
David Livermore has ruled himself out of the running to become the next Millwall head coach – saying he’d prefer to continue in a supporting role at the club.
The 44-year-old assistant head coach takes charge of tomorrow’s Lions clash with Blackburn Rovers at the Den following the exit of Neil Harris.
Livermore, who played close to 300 games for Millwall between 1999-2006 and is in his second spell at the club as either youth manager or first-team assistant, is looking forward to his moment in the sun, but says he has no wish to make it permanent and won’t be treating it like an audition.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “I’ve got no ambition for that. I’ve told the chairman I’ve got no interest in the job. My strength is in supporting others. That’s where I feel I can add most value.
“You never say never in your career because you always come to a crossroads at some point, where you say ‘do I take this path or that path, and that’s not that at the moment [for me].
“I’ve spoken with Steve (Gallen) and the chairman and I’ve told them I want my future to be at this football club. I’ve been here a long time. I think I’ve got a lot to offer it. I haven’t been guaranteed, but I’ve been told I’ll be here beyond this season, but it won’t be [as boss] that’s for certain.”
Livermore, a member of the Millwall side beaten in the FA Cup final of 2004 said of taking charge for the first time: “I wish it was under different circumstances, but I’m absolutely looking forward to it,” he said.
“It’s about making sure the players are prepared for Saturday. That’s what our focus has to be. The past is the past and we need to look forward. It’s important that we get them ready for that fixture at the weekend.
“I’ve worked with Neil for 10 years so obviously we talk and Neil was always adamant that it would be an until the end of the season job, so it was always in the pipeline at some point. It’s a bit strange as it will be the first time I won’t be working with him. It’s been nearly 450 games. But it is what it is.
“I saw Neil Tuesday and we had a really good chat but our focus and the whole football club’s focus, certainly at the training ground is [about] looking forward and making sure that we’re organised and ready to put in a performance on Saturday.
“Professional is the word. I think we’ve got a lot of experience in the building. This won’t be the first time that they’ve worked under an interim boss or in the process of a new manager or head coach coming in, so I trust the experienced guys to help the youngsters that haven’t been through this.
“This is football. People come and go all the time and in football, you kind of get used to it. It’s the nature of the business. We have to be professional and we will be professional. We’ll be prepared for a tough fixture.”
Livermore, who has been in football full-time for 28 years since he left school at 16, says he wants to embrace the moment and will not look beyond this match and perhaps the Boxing Day one against Norwich, should a full-time appointment as replacement for Harris not be made before Christmas.
He said: “I’m not looking beyond Blackburn and three points against Blackburn. That’s it. Anything beyond that is out of our control really. That’s the nature of the beast. It’s all about the next game for us. We’ve never looked beyond that.
“If I’m asked to stay for the Norwich game after that then I’ll prepare for that as well – that’s how we see it. Anything after that is up to Steven Gallen and the chairman. I’ve been told I may be in charge for the Norwich game as well but don’t know much more than that.
“Whatever happens, I agree with the idea that it’s important to keep connections with the club. That’s not just this football club but most football clubs there’s always someone there that’s been there for a period of time and understands the club. There’s a benefit to that.
“It’s a unique club in a lot of sense, so I do think you need to retain someone with a history at the football club. There’s obviously myself, there’s Andy Marshall, who also played for the club and has coached it for a while now, Adam Barrett, who’s been here for the last eight seasons and has a lot of experience working with head coaches or managers.
“That continuity I think is important. It’s important for players – and for that link between U21s and the first team. So if that’s me and I’m the person that can help the next person coming in, whether that’s to assist or be first-team coach, I’m really comfortable with it. I think that’s where I add most value.”
Livermore is not expecting the managerial uncertainty have an adverse impact tomorrow and has issued a rallying cry to his players to get the crowd onside.
“When you’re between head coaches, it’s always difficult, but on the pitch we have to give the crowd something to get behind,” he said. “We have to get them involved in the game, because on the pitch we need that.
“They are our 12th man countless times at the Den they’ve helped us get over the line, but we realise we have to put in the type of performance that they can get behind.
“I hope they come to the game excited and positive about what might be coming in the future. Everyone needs a bit of clarity. But we want the fans to enjoy watching their team play and it will be a great help for us to put in a positive performance and get a result.”
Long-term absentees Josh Coburn and Dan Kelly remain out of action and Jake Cooper was due to see a consultant yesterday. “Hopefully he comes out of the leg brace today,” Livermore said. “He’s progressing well.”
Callum Scanlon may be ready to start training again early next month. Shaun Hutchinson is in contention for a return, having not played since the Oxford game at the end of last month.