Jake Cooper: Millwall fans can help pull us through difficult period – the players understand their frustrations

Jake Cooper has talked about the importance of Millwall supporters in helping the club’s players turn around their Championship fortunes.

The Lions have not won in the league since December 21. Since defeating Leeds United on November 6 – a result which had the South London club in the play-off places – they have lost six of their last 11 in all competitions. Their only other victory came in the FA Cup third round tie against National League outfit Dagenham & Redbridge.

Some of the club’s supporters directed their anger at the players both during and after the 1-0 loss to Hull City.

Cooper knows that a united front on and off the pitch is essential if Millwall want to pull away from the wrong end of the table.

Alex Neil’s side are 17th and five points clear of the bottom three. But their next three fixtures, starting with tomorrow night’s Den date against Cardiff, are all against clubs below them in the standings.

The Lions head to second-from-bottom Luton on Saturday before the re-arranged fixture at Portsmouth next midweek.

“I understand the frustration from the stands after a couple of home defeats which nobody is happy about,” Cooper told the South London Press. “The players share the frustration.

“The fans have been amazing for us over the years and really stuck with us through thick and thin. We know it is maybe a bit of a difficult period, they are seeing players leaving and people playing in different positions – but, right now, we need them to stick by us. We need their backing more than ever.

“We know we can turn things around and we hope they can be on that journey with us and really encourage us through it.

“We have got some great lads in the squad who are giving everything for the shirt. We’ve maybe lacked a bit of quality or special touch in games recently but the effort levels are certainly there.

“We have lost two big players in the last six months in Zian (Flemming) and Romain (Esse) and we’re probably asking the club to help us out a little bit more in those areas now. We’re trying everything we can to get results.

“We know the script. We know what it is like at Millwall, certainly I’ve experienced times like this many times – you are not picking up results at The Den then it is going to be difficult. The fans certainly make you aware when you are not doing so well and they are the complete opposite when things are going well – you can’t have anything to say about that. They have their opinions and that is fair enough. It is down to us to start producing for them.

“It’s completely unified in the changing room and it is difficult – the only thing you need to do is win a game. It’s not rocket science. We have to put a performance together to win a game. No matter how that comes, we have to do it. That is the importance of playing football in the Championship – you have to pick up points. That is our main target and we have a great game on Tuesday, at home against Cardiff, to turn everything around.

“All it takes is one game and one moment to win a football match and peoples’ opinions can be changed.

“I don’t want to go into anyone personally (in terms of some players who have been criticised in recent weeks), we’ve got a group mentality.

“But we have had our fair share of injuries in important positions and at important times, like when you lose Femi (Azeez) from the FA Cup game. Calum (Scanlon) came into the team after he had trained maybe once or twice before the game on Saturday. Duncan (Watmore) was the same – I think he trained once with the new manager before the game. Players are fully willing to do that – put themselves out there and take what comes with that to try and be successful. Sometimes it doesn’t go to plan. You know how close the game was Saturday, one little moment for them was costly for us and we couldn’t create a moment to turn the game in our favour. Unfortunately it is going to be a negative response after a game like that, especially how the results have been.”

The imminent game schedule looks something of a crunch period for Millwall.

“All the games in this league you can say they are big ones,” responded Cooper. “Every team is quite evenly matched and it just takes little moment sot separate teams in games like that. You see our run of form against top teams like Leeds and Burnley – it’s just about finding a way to get a result. I don’t think it matters who we are playing against.

“We have to focus on building that confidence again, finding some goals and keeping clean sheets and I think we’ll be totally fine.”

Esse completed a transfer to Crystal Palace at the weekend which could net Millwall up to £14.5million. There is also a sell-on in the terms of the deal, which would mean that the SE16-based club would also get a slice of any sell-on.

“He is going to be a miss – that’s always the case if you sell a player to the Premier League then there is talent there,” said Cooper. “He was a great lad to have around the squad – a great player.

“It’s going to leave a hole there in the team but it’s about the lads stepping up to the plate to fill the position or the club bring in players to fill his position or around it. I enjoyed the time he had here.”