Is there an expectation on Millwall to be in the Championship play-offs? Gary Rowett answers that question
BY RICHARD CAWLEY
Gary Rowett says that there is no expectation on his Millwall side to be in the Championship play-offs.
The Lions are seventh after today’s 2-0 win over Reading at The Den.
Matt Smith and Jon Dadi Bodvarsson netted in an impressive display by the hosts, who could easily have run out wider victors.
Millwall manager Rowett said: “I don’t think anyone expects us to be in and around it at the end of the season. Everyone can see potential and see a little bit of hope.
“You can come into a club and perform really well for three or four games – you’re now talking about 16 games, including the cup game. We’ve only lost two. I don’t know how many we’ve won but it would be a fair whack of those.
“We’ve performed really well against different opponents and different formations.
“Everyone sees a team trying really hard to keep on improving. Today was another example of that – it was a 94-minute performance. We were really good for big parts of that.
“Murray Wallace against Meite – he’s a difficult player and he absolutely played him superbly. Jayson Molumby once more – with Ryan Woods in there – showed a real control of the game.”
Rowett also moved to clarify a first-half incident that saw referee Keith Stroud talk to his assistant before also coming across to the fourth official.
A tannoy announcement said it was reporting homophobic chanting and warned that anyone found guilty of the offence would face further punishments.
But Rowett said: “I don’t necessarily think it was a chant. I think the linesman has heard a comment and what he has suggested he thought the chant was, he has to report it to the referee who in turn has to report it to the side of the pitch.
“The club are brilliant with stuff like that. They’ve worked incredibly hard to make sure things like that don’t happen here. It’s certainly not something we condone if – if – it has been said, because we don’t know for sure it has.
“They’ll investigate. I’ll leave that for them to follow up on.”