Former Boro and Sunderland ace in ‘best form of his career’ according to Millwall chief

Neil Harris says that Millwall attacker Duncan Watmore is in the best form of his career.

The former Sunderland and Middlesbrough player made it five goals this season with the opener in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at QPR.

Watmore recently told our paper that Lions head coach Harris’ backing had been crucial in his impressive start to the 2024-25 campaign.

“His numbers are there – his goals and assists are there,” Harris told the South London Press. “His contribution with minutes on the pitch is there.

“He will be the first to admit he is in the form of his career.

“I’m just giving him a platform to play to his strengths. To enable him to be the best player he can. Him and Romain (Esse) are looking a real threat in terms of the way they play the game and the freedom they are allowed to roam.

“It is getting the best out of both players.

“Duncan has backed it up with goal contributions – as good as anyone in the league.

“We want to keep him in that good space and keep that confidence. I’ve really enjoyed working with him – he is so popular with the lads and such a good, humble human being. He is a brilliant professional who just loves playing and scoring.

“I just want to keep encouraging him to do it. The three players that are behind our number nine at the moment are in unbelievably good form.

“Duncan and Romain’s numbers speak for themselves and George Honeyman’s performances speak for themselves, it is just that end product that is lacking from G’s game at the moment but we’re confident that will come.

“They are a big part of our creative game at the moment.”

Harris has watched back the QPR again where once again he was left frustrated only by the fact that his side did not get the three points their performance merited.

He said: “I reviewed the game on Sunday and really enjoyed watching my team and the players play so well. The application, attitude and energy to press- the problems we caused QPR with and without the ball – made us the better team.

“We dominated large parts of the game and our tempo, the way we started the game, was very impressive.

“The big chances we created were clear to see – the stats back that up.

“Again I suppose it comes down to being a little bit more clinical and ruthless in both penalty areas. But the all-round performance and the way we mixed our play – our passing and movement, at times, was very, very good. We are looking like a team that has really progressed over the last six months.

“I said to the players that individually they are in good form but collectively look very impressive. Our energy to press QPR and force them to have the ball where we wanted to have it – to then take if off them – was well-worked by the players off the game plan we had devised at the end of the week.

“I said after the game my glass was half-full and that was re-iterated going into Sunday and Monday with the players. It was a very strong performance where we were the better team and deserved to win the game. But you could look at it and say: ‘We need to start winning these games’. Because that is not far off certainly three league games out of the five that we haven’t won where I’m saying afterwards that everything leads to us winning that game apart from the result.

“We have to make sure we get the result but also turn those fine margins into success. The mentality of the players is that they are in a really good place – their desire to perform for the football club is fantastic. It’s just that concentration level in the final moment, in both boxes, which is going to be the difference for us.”

PICTURE: BRIA TONKS