In-depth with Millwall keeper Lukas Jensen – Improving within six months under coach Andy Marshall, switching to mountain biking as a teenager and Premier League dream

EXCLUSIVE

BY EDMUND BRACK

Lukas Jensen predicts he will be an even better goalkeeper in six months after his start to life working under Millwall goalkeeper coach Andy Marshall – and hopes he can fulfil his childhood dream of reaching the Premier League during his time with the Lions.

The 25-year-old joined the South Londoners from Lincoln in the summer and has established himself early on as Neil Harris’ number one between the sticks at The Den.

Jensen was statistically one of the best stoppers in League One last season and kept 19 clean sheets in 45 games – missing out on the division’s Golden Glove by one shutout to Derby County’s Joe Wildsmith.

But after five Championship outings to his name and a handful of weeks into a long-term deal at The Den, Jensen can already see a bright future learning from ex-Ipswich and Coventry keeper Marshall.

“Marshy is not just my goalie coach, but he’s one of my friends as well,” Jensen told the South London Press.

“He’s such a nice guy. Initially, when I spoke with him, he explained to me what he thought I could improve and what he could help me with – I can already see that.

“He has changed quite a few things and we’re working on it. I can see that I’ll be a better goalkeeper within six months.

“He will help me a lot to take me to the next level and take me and Millwall to the Premier League.”

Jensen conceded seven goals in his opening two Championship games, with the Lions finding the back of the net but failing to get the balance at the back right in clashes against Watford and Bristol City.

But Harris’ side picked up their first clean sheet of the season in the goalless draw at Hull, and Jensen has only conceded once in the last three games.

Pressed on what Marshall has brought to his goalkeeping artillery already, Jensen, who stands at 6ft 6 inches, added: “Because I’ve got my physical aspect, he said: ‘We can improve them in a different way.’

“I look cleaner – I’m saving more balls with my positioning in the goal. I always liked to be a very aggressive goalkeeper, flying out in the opposition’s face and making blocks left and right.

“He said: ‘Take a step back so you can react a little bit more to it.’

“If I stay back a bit more, I can improve saving reaction shots. It’s not just one thing I can pick out because there have been so many small things.

“The difference between playing at the highest level and a little bit lower is just details – that is the difference he is making.

“He always looks at me at training and says: ‘Should your body go a little bit more forward? Is your balance going backwards? How’s your hand positioning and footwork?’

“He’s been tough on me, I’m not going to lie, but it’s a good thing.

“I can see now the things that I’m starting to improve and get better in the things he wants me to improve on

“I’m saving a lot more balls now. I can tell there is a big difference from League One to the Championship, but I think I have gotten used to it now.

“Football is all about confidence and my confidence is just rising now as I can see we’re on the right path.

“I know my defenders even better now. Who knows how many clean sheets we’re going to get? Hopefully a lot.”

Jensen’s career has seen him move from home-town club Helsingor in the Danish second division to sitting on the bench in the Premier League with Burnley in 2020 and recording more than 100 senior appearances across seven teams – but he hung up his goalie gloves and switched to two pedals during his teenage years.

He explained: “I was stopping and starting throughout my youth career and decided to pursue mountain biking when I was around 13 for three and a half years.

“It turned out to be very good but I just missed football and came back to it when I was around 17.

“My dad, who was my goalie coach when I was younger, always did mountain biking as well. I thought I would give it a go just for fun on a Saturday and Sunday.

“I just progressed more and more through the ranks in the sport. I found out I was quite good at it because I could translate my training from football to mountain biking quite easily.

“The sport was growing at that point and I thought it was fun. There were a few things in the football world that meant I wanted to go into mountain biking at that point.

“I really enjoyed it for those three years, but I have always had a love for football and that’s why I came back to it.”

Jensen made it to Scandinavian and European championships but still called upon the training from his early goalkeeper career to help him excel in mountain biking, which became an Olympic sport in 1996.

He added: “Being a goalkeeper is really power-based – it’s the same in mountain biking as you’re only working for a short period of time.

“If you’re sprinting in mountain bike, you’re doing the same as a goalkeeper as you’re only going for 30 or 40 seconds.

“I didn’t lack any training, it was just technique in mountain biking.

“Once I got that, I was very fast.”

Jensen signed for Burnley in 2019 as a 19-year-old after a successful trial spell.

He joined as the Clarets’ U23 keeper and trained in the first team alongside two-time Premier League winner Joe Hart and former Charlton stopper Nick Pope, who has gone on to become Newcastle’s number one and England back up.

He said: “I was basically shitting myself when I came to Burnley.

“Once I saw the goalkeepers they had, it was unreal to train with them.

“They had four or five international goalkeepers in one squad and it’s very unusual to have that.

“I learnt a lot from them. I still speak with Joe and Nick – they taught me so much in the goalkeeper world.

“They have been good mentors for me and made it easier for me to come to England and learn what it takes to survive in this world.

“I have been quite fortunate with Joe that we have the same agent, so we speak once a month or so.

“I speak with a little bit less with Nick, but any time he posts something on Instagram, I leave a comment and he does the same.

“I get more advice from Joe. He’s so experienced and been in this world for such a long time.

“I asked him about what to do in situations and how to handle things. I still do that because I still see myself as a young keeper and you can always learn in the football world.

“If you ask the question, you are at least trying to do something to make it right.”

Jensen went on three Football League loans during his spell at Turf Moor, joining Bolton and Carlisle United.

But it was at Accrington Stanley under John Coleman in the 2022-23 season that kickstarted Jensen’s trajectory to Millwall.

The 11 clean sheets in 35 outings for Stanley saw him move to Lincoln in League One following his Burnley release.

He added: “I still look back at my time at Burnley as really good. When I came to England, I didn’t think I would get as far as I have.

“I still have dreams from when I came to England and have big dreams that I want to get to, but to be on the bench in the Premier League was a big thing for me. I never thought I would do that in my first year.

“I had some ups and downs at Burnley, but overall, I look back and it was very good.

“I’ll always back myself to perform at the highest level. I had a spell at Accrington before that and played just short of 30 games in League One. I knew I could handle it and perform in a good way, but someone would have to put their trust in me.

“Lincoln did that, and I wanted to repay the favour because they put everything into me and said: ‘Lukas, you’re going to be our goalkeeper, and we can see you progress even more.’

Jensen was insurmountable in Lincoln’s push from mid-table to just missing out on the play-offs on the final day of last season season.

The Imps recorded a 16-game unbeaten run, with the Dane picking up 10 clean sheets in the process.

Reflecting on the run, he added: “Around Christmas time, it clicked for us and for me as well. We just didn’t look back. I was loving playing with them. I always said the reason I went to Lincoln was to get to a higher level by showing how good I was and hopefully people could see that.

“I was trying to do the best I could and perform to the highest level – then the stats would follow.

“I was trying to have the best stats in League One because that would put me in the shop window.

“That’s what gained interest from Millwall and other clubs. It’s been a big thing about having the best stats and performing well on the pitch as well, but you still have to be a good person.

“That’s the major thing. I had loads of initial chats [with Millwall], and it turned out to be a good decision.

“I have had a childhood dream of playing in the Premier League. I think I will do that with Millwall hopefully.”