‘It is a brilliant football ground’ – Neil Harris on Portsmouth’s return to the Championship, Fratton Park and transfer window wait for deals
Neil Harris is looking forward to taking his Millwall side to Portsmouth tomorrow night – describing Fratton Park as a “brilliant football ground”.
The Lions will be seeking a repeat of when they last made the trip to the South Coast outfit in the EFL Cup in August 2021, winnig 2-1 with goals from Scott Malone and George Saville.
Millwall will also head there in the Championship for the first time since April 2012. Yet again that was a victory with Tottenham loanee Harry Kane scoring the 37th-minute winner.
“It is a brilliant football ground,” Harris told the South London Press. “It’s a football club that belongs in the Championship, for sure.
“It has a strong, heritage, pedigree and history as a football club.
“I’ve been fortunate to play at Portsmouth many times and manage there in great atmospheres with big crowds.
“It is a game I’m sure our fans will enjoy travelling to – it’s not a long distance.
“It’s good to have Portsmouth back in the Championship. They did extremely well to win League One last season and I think they’ll be a strong outfit in the Championship.
“There will be some opportunities for some players that were very close to the starting 11 on Saturday, that might feel a little hard done by not starting the game. Naturally they will come into the team for an opportunity to impress.
“Then we might have to think about looking after one or two before going to Bristol. It is a cup competition and we’re playing a tough opponent at Pompey – I’m massively respectful to the competition, the opponent and the fans who are going to travel. But also our priority has to be the league on Saturday and bouncing back immediately at Bristol City.
“An opportunity for players, for sure. But there won’t be wholesale changes because we just don’t have the strength in depth to be able to do that at the football club at the moment.”
Millwall’s most recent addition in the transfer window was nearly a month ago, July 18, when they re-signed centre-back Shaun Hutchinson.
“I was very honest in my appraisal in terms of where we are at as a squad after the game on Saturday,” said Harris.
“We know as a football club we need to add and are looking to add. From a manager’s perspective I want as many options as I possibly can within the squad to be able to adjust, adapt and tinker with teams – rotate etc.
“But I also understand deals aren’t always easy to do and mindful that we have got until August 31. I obviously don’t want us to wait until August 31 because we have got some really important games before that.”