Millwall boss Gary Rowett on appointing Callum Davidson and Joe Carnall to his backroom team

BY RICHARD CAWLEY

Gary Rowett has spoken about the appointments of Callum Davidson and Joe Carnall to his backroom team at Millwall.

The Lions appointed the 45-year-old as their new manager earlier this week.

And Rowett has brought in former Blackburn, Leicester and Preston defender Davidson, 43, as his number two.

“I’ve known him for 20-odd years,” said the Millwall boss. “I played with him at Leicester. His family have been friends of mine for many years.

“I’ve been trying to get him to work with me for a while now but he was up at St Johnstone and had a successful period there working and developing players – getting them into Europe and the top six.

“Then he was almost headhunted by Scotland to work with Gordon Strachan. That shows his coaching ability. I’m really excited for him to come down and be part of my backroom staff.

“He brings a lot of energy to the grass. He wants to work with players, he wants to improve them whether they are U18, U23, first-team or senior – it’s vitally important.

“He’s also a really good guy to work with who I trust and knows how I want to play.”

Carnall has come in as technical coach.

Rowett said: “Joe’s background is head of analysis, some work on the recruitment side of it – so quite a multi-disciplined role.

“What we know that Joe can bring to the role this time. With the first team out on the grass – not coaching in the technical coach sense – but helping us deliver that methodology. Helping us prepare the team in certain ways. Working alongside Dan [McLoone] in preparing a team, that analysis also.

“The beauty of Joe is he know how I work. We’ve been together four or five years at Birmingham – where we first met – Derby and Stoke. That will accelerate the process.

“Joe is a really knowledgeable person. A really ambitious person but also works brilliantly with the other staff. He can help the other staff accelerate their understanding of how we work and also bring us something to help and support the players.

“I’m excited for the team and exisiting staff to meet. It’s the staff and players you want to meet. I hope they can challenge us and we can challenge them.”