Millwall boss explains George Long starting ahead of Bart Bialkowski in 2-1 win over Blackpool

Millwall manager Gary Rowett has explained his decision to start with George Long in goal, ending Bartosz Bialkowski’s lengthy spell as a starter.

Long came in for today’s 2-1 win over Blackpool.

Bialkowski had been an ever-present last season and featured in all 46 matches in the campaign before that.

The Poland stopper had played every minute in the Championship since coming on for Frank Fielding in the opening day match of the 2020-21 season.

Rowett said: “Bart was a difficult one. First of all he had been outstanding – as a person and a goalkeeper. I can’t speak highly enough of him as a player and person – the way he supported George was absolutely incredible.

“He put the team before himself.

“I’ve had 18 months where I’ve kept saying to Longy: ‘Just be patient, you might get a chance, be patient, you might get a chance’. He has been outstanding in training. You watch him in training every single day and if the strikers want extra finishing then he’s there, throwing himself around. He’s a top-quality goalkeeper.

“I felt I needed to do something, just to see if I could change some dynamic. We’re very quiet, our back three. And Longy is very loud and very vociferous – he demands a lot of people. That was it really, it wasn’t down to performances. It was down to me trying to be fair.

“I can be called many things as a manager, but I feel I’m pretty fair. And I felt it was the right time to give him an opportunity. You could see his composure on the ball, you can see his ability to play out from the back – long and short – and he’s made a couple of good saves as well.

“He’ll feel good today. He’s had to be really, really patient and sometimes you can only say it for so long without it just sounding like hot air. So I felt today was the right time.

“The other changes were just down to having a bit more energy down the left with Scottie [Malone] going forward – we needed to get our wing-backs a little higher and a little more aggressive.

“Benik was an easy change and George Honeyman has been out for a while and it was the right time for him to come back in and buzz around. I was very close to going with Tyler, because he has done excellent.