Millwall boss explains why free agent deals unlikely despite Millwall injury absentees

Millwall manager Gary Rowett is not expecting to look at the free agent market to cover any defensive selection headaches.

Lions captain Shaun Hutchinson is facing around a month out with a groin tear while Ryan Leonard is also sidelined with a hamstring issue.

The South Londoners are able to sign players who are unattached but Rowett is expecting all of their injury issues to have cleared after the international break at the end of this month. Tyler Burey (knee) and Mason Bennett (hamstring) also look set to sit out tomorrow’s trip to Sunderland.

Rowett is confident the Lions’ treatment room will be empty when they face Blackburn on October 1.

“We’re talking about three more games and then everyone will be back,” the Millwall boss told the South London Press. “We have got players who can slot in there, no problem.

“We’ve got a number of centre-halves out but George Evans can play there comfortably – he did that when he first came in and performed really well.

“I’m sure Danny [McNamara] can go and play as a third centre-half, because it’s almost like playing right-back. I don’t think there is any real issue doing that. And we can also change to two centre-halves.

“It’s not really a huge problem. If we were to get another injury and it was a long-termer, that changes the game a little bit.

“You only do that [look at free agents] when you feel someone is out for a long period of time, because that isn’t a brilliant market. There is usually a reason why quite a few players haven’t been picked up, whether they are older or maybe they have had injury seasons themselves.

“They haven’t played for a long time and so you’re talking two or three weeks before someone, who hasn’t been in a squad, would get up to speed. We wouldn’t dive into that right at this moment.”

Millwall have not won away since beating Reading 1-0 on March 5. They have drawn five and lost five since then.

“We need to pass the ball better away than we have been and have bigger spells of control – and I think we will,” said Rowett. “We need to go out there and play with a little bit of freedom and confidence, see if we can change that.”