‘Full-blooded’ – Gary Rowett outlines approach for Blackpool clash with Millwall looking to climb back into the top six

Gary Rowett wants his Millwall side to be “full-blooded” in their approach to tonight’s clash at Blackpool – with the Lions needing to win to climb back into the Championship play-off spots.

The South Londoners head to Bloomfield Road seventh in the table after dropping out of the top six last weekend following their 2-1 defeat at bottom-of-the-table Wigan Athletic.

Dropping points against the Latics allowed Sunderland and Coventry to climb above Millwall in the table.

“To be honest, recent results haven’t been enough to keep us in the top six,” Rowett told the South London Press.

“It was only because other teams have done the same.

“If you look at a lot of the teams around us, quite a lot of them haven’t been able to win games.

“You might get away with two or three games where you don’t get a result, but when that becomes four or five, you’re not going to keep doing that.

“Deservedly so, we’re out of the top six, and we have to fight to get back in it. I don’t necessarily think it was a surprise. We’re going to have to keep an eye on results this week to see where that leaves us by the time we play Friday.

“We have got to win the game [against Blackpoool]. If we don’t, we’re probably going into the last game with nothing to play for, which would be disappointing.

“Because you’re in it and you drop out, it might add a negative perspective in some ways.

“After losing players and having some really key injuries all the way through the season and particularly at the end point, to look at the league and say we’re joint sixth with two games left, I personally think is something to be really proud of and the players should be proud of it.

“What we have got to do now is dig in and fight for what we want.

“We have got to show a little bit of what Wigan and teams like that have shown recently to go and get the result.

“What we can’t do is play with a little bit of fear – we have to be full-blooded and really be committed to win the next game.”

Millwall have only won two of their last eight outings in the Championship and host fellow play-off hopefuls Blackburn on the final day at The Den.

“Our mindset has to switch,” added Rowett.

“We need something that will flick a switch that gets that little bit of spark and get us on the front foot in some of our performances.

“It happens at this stage of the season. Our focus really is about what we have to do to get that back.

“If that’s dropping out of the top six, we will find out. We will find out what the players’ response is and our response as a group and as a team.

“But what I will say is that we will do it together, and we will fight hard to do it.

“You can’t question this team’s character because we’re in the position we’re in. The last little bit is the hardest bit to do.

“Look at West Brom, Watford and Norwich – teams with much bigger budgets than ours, but they’re having the same issues.

“We have got to put the foot on the accelerator now and start to really attack these last couple of games.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD